Where Dwell the Brave of Heart
by Tomiko Lou
Summary: In 2017, the water is beginning to warm between Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy. But in 1970, the catastrophe of James Potter and Lily Evans is just beginning. Set across first year to seventh year. Canon.
1. Embark

Where Dwell the Brave of Heart

**Part one – First Year**

_Embark _

* * *

_Embark – _

_1. To begin a journey, project, etc._

* * *

He was putting a considerable amount of effort into keeping still, and yet he still fidgeted with excitement and anticipation.

His father chuckled, watching him bounce on the balls of his feet. 'You'll be good, won't you, Jamie?'

'James, your hairs sticking up _again,_' tutted his mother, stooping down to her son's level and attempting to flatten his raven hair.

'Mum,' he snapped, leaning out of her reach, 'Stop, people are looking!'

She rolled her eyes and pecked him on the cheek. 'We'll miss you, Jamie,' she told him, her voice suddenly heavy with tears, straightening up.

'Same,' he said, his eyes drifting to the tantalizing scarlet train.

'You'll write as soon as you get there. Promise?' his mother reminded, yet again. The whole ride into London had been filled with her maddening reminders.

'And don't forget to tell us what House you're in,' his father added.

'_Obviously, _Dad.'

His parents exchanged smiles, and enclosed their son in a joint hug, James all the while giving mumbled protests into their cloaks. When they broke apart, James grabbed his trunk and hurried to the ramp, leading on to the train.

'And James?' his father called.

James gritted his teeth and turned reluctantly. 'Yeah?'

'Glasses,' said his father knowingly, tapping his leg-pocket.

James rolled his eyes and pulled his circular glasses from his pocket, and put them grudgingly on. He scrambled onto the train and, once hidden from his parent's watchful eyes, once again hid his glasses deep in his pocket.

* * *

Victoire glared after James' retreating back, as Teddy fought back a laugh.

'It's not funny,' she snapped. 'You don't know what he's like. He'll be bringing this up at every Christmas lunch until he graduates.'

'What do you mean I don't know what he's like?' exclaimed Teddy. 'I _spend_ every Christmas lunch with him.'

Victoire rolled her eyes, tucking her silvery hair behind her ear and placing her hands on her hips. 'Well, I'm not dealing with him. _You_ shut him up.'

'You're the one who's going to be trapped at school with him for five months,' mocked Teddy, taking her hand and leading her over to the train. 'So it's really not my problem. Anyway, like I give a shit if people know. I'm not ashamed of you.'

'I should hope not,' she told him, her face lighting up with a mischievous smile. She laced her arms around his neck and kneaded her fingers through his plum-purple hair, and soon their lips were at each other's again, and he was lifting her securely off her feet.

* * *

A short distance from the Potters', a huddle of beautiful children, accompanied by a pair of stunning women, had just emerged onto the station. The handsome group were all tall and, excluding the youngest girl and the smaller of the two women, had thick dark hair. The females were slender, the males well-built.

The darker woman was muttering to herself, glaring viciously at a smiling husband and wife, who were waving their youngest daughter onto the train. 'Look at that, look at that, Muggle scum – Mud-bloods! Look, Druella, look!' She nudged her sister-in-law, directing her line of sight towards the small Muggle family.

Druella shook her head, her golden hair shaking down her back. 'Awful.'

The older of the two boys shook his head, but the smaller boy, who was no older than eight, saw. Frowning, he looked up at the brother he so resembled. 'Aren't you going to miss us, Sirius?'

'Course I'll miss you, Reg.' Sirius squatted so he and his little brother were at eye level. 'Hey, Reg...'

'Yeah?'

Sirius nodded at their mother, who was now muttering "Filthy Muggles" and "Mud-bloods" over and over, while Druella bid her two eldest daughters goodbye.

'If she hurts you or... anything. Just owl me.' Sirius said in a stern whisper, and Regulus nodded solemnly.

'She won't though,' he assured Sirius. 'She's our Mum.'

Sirius shrugged, straightening up. 'If you say so.'

'Goodbye, Sirius,' Walburga addressed her son like a businessman would an unpleasant associate. 'Write to let us know how you like Slytherin.'

Sirius fixed her with a pointed glare, before turning towards the train, pulling his trunk behind him.

* * *

Further down the platform, a tall, broad-shouldered boy was loading his younger sister's trunk onto the train.

'I don't need your help,' she huffed, smiling exasperatedly at him. When he straightened up and gave her nothing but a smile, she fell quiet, something uncommon for Roxanne Weasley. 'I'll miss you, Freddie,' she said as carelessly as she could.

He grinned. 'You're just pissed 'cause the team's gonna be fucked without me, and they didn't make you captain in my absence.'

She shrugged, and tapped the red and gold badge on her chest. 'Prefect, Fred, prefect.'

'Only prats become prefects.'

She smiled and stuck her tongue out at him, before she outstretched her arms for a hug. 'See you at Christmas,' she mumbled into his shirt. She promised herself she wouldn't cry.

He groaned, and lent back as she stepped onto the train. 'Spare me. You know I hate Christmas there.'

She rolled her eyes. 'Go away.'

He bent low to the ground, and tipped an imaginary hat to her, before he backed away to level with their parents, as George and Angelina waved exuberantly at their daughter.

'Be nice to Gran this year!' she called to him, before heading off to join her many friends and fellow Quidditch players.

* * *

Down the platform from the Blacks', the thick steam rolled around the legs of another boy. He was tall and skinny; however, it was not the uneven lankiness of other adolescent kids. It was a worrying, sickly looking thinness. His blue eyes stared accusingly at the scarlet train.

'Remmy,' his mother said softly, putting her arm around him, 'it'll be fine. It's all been planned out.'

He lent into her chest, and she held him in a close hug. He felt her swollen stomach between them, and couldn't help but feel a little replaced by his soon-to-be sibling.

'You know your Dad's sorry he couldn't be here, right?' She lent back to meet him earnestly in the eye. 'It would be too risky.'

He nodded. He couldn't help unpleasant resentment build up in his throat; his father stayed at home most days, working from his study. True; it was too risky. With Greyback still on the loose, his father would be unwise to walk unprotected down the street. The monster was still after revenge.

This was indirectly why Remus was so dreading school.

'I'll miss you,' he murmured. He was trying desperately not to cry.

'Me too,' his mother whispered back, her eyes brimming with tears, a small smile gracing her lips. 'You should get on the train,' she said shakily. 'It'll be going soon.'

* * *

Further still down the platform, now that she had finally escaped her family, Dominique had found Lorcan and his brother bidding their parents goodbye.

As Luna reminded her son's to take care against Whackspurts and Nargles, Dominique caught Rolf's eye, and they both shared a suppressed laugh.

Lorcan, as usual, was taking it very seriously. However Lysander, as usual, looked very, very bored. He was a lot like his father, whilst Lorcan was a lot like their mother; Lysander was much too rational to believe in his mother and brother's ideas, but much too polite to contradict anyone.

When the family had finally said their goodbyes, the three children headed towards the train.

Away from their parents, Dominique and Lorcan ducked together to share a brief kiss.

'I missed you,' he told her, and his eyes widened in excitement. 'I found you a perfect necklace in Sweden! Mum says it's infused with Gnome saliva!'

Lysander shook his head, careful not to let his brother see, while Dominique smiled her thanls

'Did you go too, Lysander?' asked Dominique. She didn't know Lysander that well, despite all the time they spent together. However, they were both very rational, subdued, down-to-earth fourteen-year-olds, and so they functioned well together, if not a bit uncomfortably.

He shook his head of thin, dirty-blonde hair. 'What did you do?'

She ground her teeth. 'Absolutely nothing. I stayed in my room reading, with Victoire insisting I come into town with her, while Louis, on the other hand, tried to get into my room because _apparently,_' she paused to take on a severely irritated expression, 'I smudged one of his books or something. What would I need with the book of _a second-year_?' she snapped at the twins, almost accusingly.

'Are those your dragon-skin boots, Dominique?' asked Lysander airily.

She glared at him. 'Yes, what about it?'

'Nothing, nothing-' he began hurriedly.

'Don't give me that look,' she snarled at him. 'My mother won't leave me alone about them! They're Dad's boots, and she says it's _unladylike. _Pathetic.'

As the three of them passed through the train looking for a compartment, Molly ducked back into her cabin, sitting stiffly.

'Oh my god,' squeaked Parvati Finnegan, as she craned her neck out of their compartment to get a better look at Dominique Weasley. 'Molly, is that your _cousin_?'

Molly wrapped her carefully styled, caramel coloured hair around her finger scathingly. She had been blessed with her mother's looks, where Lucy was a classic Weasley. When together, they were unmistakably sisters - the button noses, plump lips and rosy cheeks – but Lucy's ginger frizz and lankiness (while only nine was nearing her sister's height) was so different to Molly's petite frame and light curls.

Molly, Parvati and Zelda Spinnett giggled hysterically. They too had discovered makeup over the summer, but theirs all amounted to defined lashes, glossed lips and hidden blemishes.

As the other four girls moaned about having someone as weird as Dominique Weasley in their dormitory, Molly's smile hid the small amount of pity she felt towards her cousin.

* * *

Remus hauled his trunk up behind him, followed closely by a plump, beady-eyed boy. This boy seemed to be having a tremendous amount of trouble heaving his trunk onto the train behind him, earning himself many words of abuse from the other students waiting to board.

He averted his eyes. He wanted to tell them how unfair it was, but, as usual, was lost for words. He would deal with their angry shouts; he was used to be yelled at. His older Muggle _normal_ siblings demonstrated that regularly enough.

He chanced to look around, pleadingly meeting others in the eyes. He hoped they would realise he was seeking help, without actually having to ask. He wished he had parents there to help him. But, as usual, he had been made to work these things out for himself. He had found the right bus to catch; scheduled the correct time to depart; marked where to get off the bus; mapped where to walk once he was in London.

All without any help whatsoever from his six older siblings and father.

* * *

Severus pushed through the crowd. His mother had just left, not bothering to linger. But he didn't mind; _she was here_.

When another push through another huddle still brought him no sight of Lily, he began to mutter her name, until her voice reached his ears. She wasn't very loud, but his ears were tuned to her lyrical voice. He shuddered when he realised she sounded upset.

He hurried through more families, to see her and her sister about ten metres away. Their parents stood slightly away, looking around eagerly at the fascinating surroundings, and he sniffed derisively.

He looked back at the girls. They resembled each other very little, aside from the fact that both their thick hair curled at the ends.

At that moment, Lily's dark red was in her face as she spoke rapidly to her sister, her emeralds of eyes full of tears. Petunia's hair was in a tight not, held in place by an elaborate ribbon. He could only roughly hear their distorted words over the other sounds of the platform.

Suddenly Petunia stalked back to their parents, and Lily followed her back, her shoulders sunken. They said their goodbyes, Petunia refusing to look at the smaller girl, and then Lily hurried onto the train, wiping away a tear.

Severus hurried on after her.

* * *

Already in a snug compartment, Louis was seated; it was just the way he did things. Two of his friends had already joined him, but most of them were still on the platform.

'Did you make is to the cup this year, Lou?' asked Richard Creevey.

'Of course!' said Louis, frowning at Richard. 'I went with my dad and Dom and Victoire's boyfriend.'

'How's Victoire?' asked Richard immediately.

Louis rolled his eyes. 'Piss off.'

'How's Dominique?'

Louis' expression suddenly turned sour. 'She took my new History of Magic book!'

Richard laughed, almost in a daze. 'She's funny. Tell her I say hi. Okay?'

'She has a boyfriend,' snapped Louis.

'I know, I know. Say hi to Vicky too.'

Louis ground his teeth. 'Don't call her Vicky; it's Victoire.' He averted his eyes. 'And _she_ has a boyfriend too. Me and Teddy used to be friends; he taught me Quidditch.'

'Really? I thought he was good?' asked Pepper Peakes, and Richard laughed, but Louis fixed them with a glare.

'He never talks to me now. He's always just with freaking Victoire.'

'Louis?'

Louis turned, his soft silvery hair falling lusciously into his eyes. The second-year Gryffindor girls stood at the compartment door, peering in on the boys apprehensively.

'We- we were just wondering...'

'How your summer was?' piped up Lexandra Vane, realizing her friend was too nervous to speak.

'Tell them to go away, Louis,' Richard instructed.

'Shut up, Davies,' snapped the first girl. Her cheeks flared scarlet when Louis raised his eyebrows at her.

'Go away,' he said finally. 'What do you guys want anyway?'

He, however, knew perfectly well that they wanted his china-blue eyes, sleek silvery hair, straight nose and strong build.

* * *

The two tall young women walked briskly down the corridor, dark curls cascading down their backs. Boys' heads craned out compartment doors to get a better look at their full curves and thick lashes.

Andromeda walked in a quite sophisticated manor, her back straight and her arms neatly beside her. However, this meant eyes went to Bellatrix first, with her purposeful march and the swishing of her hair.

Andromeda wouldn't say she was displeased by this. In the elite group of Pure-blood sixth and seventh year Slytherins, she was always noticed after her sister. But she was happy with eyes going to her older sister, as she would rather listen to her fellow Slytherins rather than participate in the conversation.

Unless something pissed her off.

'Stop,' said Bellatrix suddenly, her hair flying out as she whipped her head around. Andromeda noticed her stance stiffen immediately and her brow creased; Andromeda was certainly not the only Black with a temper.

Bellatrix was looking in on a compartment on seventh-year Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. There sat the new Head Girl, nestled against Frank Longbottom.

'Mud-bloods,' sniffed Bellatrix viciously. Andromeda nodded, though she knew full well both Alice and Frank were not Mud-bloods.

'And to think,' hissed Bellatrix, 'Lucius, Head Boy while that ugly _bitch_ is _Head Girl_. How could they not choose me? It's sickening.'

'Exactly,' said Andromeda firmly, though she cared very little about the goings on, and had already began examining her nails.

She had neither Bellatrix's temper of Narcissa's vanity, but she was still a Black.

* * *

Back on the platform, Scorpius was craning his neck to look back at the two families.

'Dad, who were they?' asked Scorpius shrewdly, looking up at his father. He was following him keenly, allowing only a foot between them.

'That was the Potters.' His father's voice seemed strained, as if coming through gritted teeth.

He heard his mother make a clicking sound with her tongue, and when he looked he swore she was rolling her eyes. 'What?' he asked, his head moving swiftly back and forth from his mother to father. 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing, love,' said Astoria curtly. 'Your father's just being a teeny, tiny, itty-bitty bit ridiculous.'

Scorpius' eyes shot to his father, nervously awaiting his response. But Draco just set his jaw tightly and looked away.

* * *

**Some of the Marauder era kids' ages might not be entirely correct, but apart from that this is a ****canon**** story. Or at least, it's not AU; this is my take on what happened. So yeah, I guess it isn't really canon. I promise it will be more interesting when the kids are older, so I'll try to plough through the early years.  
**

**So no one is confused I'll just clarify; this story jumps back and forth from Marauder era to Next Gen.**

**Reviews would be adored, and I may just return them! Thank you for reading. X **


	2. Introduce

Where Dwell the Brave of Heart

**Part One – First Year**

_Introduce_

* * *

_Introduce – _

_1. To bring (a person) to knowledge or experience of something or someone._

* * *

James was beginning to wish he had sat in a different compartment. It was painfully awkward, ludicrously uncomfortable.

He had only sat in here in the first place because the boy looked pretty cool, but he hadn't even said a word; he was just calmly lounging in the cushiony bench of the compartment, utterly disregarding his surroundings. The other reason was the girl. She was very, very nice-looking, and he had recently begun to take notice of which girls were and which girls weren't very, very nice-looking. He liked her hair; the dark red of it.

But much to his annoyance, she hadn't said a word, and just sat across from him, fat tears strolling down her unblemished cheeks, dropping onto her pink blouse, marking it with odd, dark, salty patches. He felt sorry for her, but also found a bit funny; no doubt she was crying because she was upset about leaving her parents. And you had to admit, that _was_ funny.

He looked over at the boy. His coal-black hair fell into his eyes and rested lazily against his neck, and, although he wasn't focusing on anything, his wild, grey eyes made him look untamable.

James wanted to make something happen. He wanted to show the girl that someone like _him_ wasn't going to let his parents' absence get to him. Another part of him wanted to cheer her up, and show her how funny and charming he was, and so he decided he was going to speak.

He turned his head and addressed the boy. 'Know any spells?'

The boy sat up, looking at him with pleasant curiosity. 'Nup. Do you?'

James shrugged, quite modestly by James Potter's standards. 'My dad taught me a few.'

The boy nodded, but hardly looked pleased by this news. And in actuality, he most certainly wasn't pleased; naturally, he wasn't going to be happy about someone else's happy tidings, when his own father scarcely spared him a glance.

The boy looked away, and James wondered if he had said something wrong. He noted that when the boy looked away he did so not shamefully, as if embarrassed by his lack of magical knowledge. It was as if he was turning away in anger, like he couldn't bear to look any longer.

'Show me something.'

James grinned, seizing the opportunity to display his magical ability. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a Knut, and positioned it in the palm of his hand. He cleared his throat, and pointed his wand at it threateningly. 'Glor-I-Or!'

With a harsh hissing sound, the coin began to grow, its edges sagging over the sides of James' hand. Large purple boils began sprouting on its bronze surface, and the boy began to laugh, and James scowled good-heartedly.

'Is it meant to do that?' asked the boy, still laughing.

'What do you think?' said James, and he too began to chortle. He jumped up on the seat, and stuffed the coin into an overhead compartment.

'Good thinking,' said the boy approvingly.

'What I'm here for.' When James chanced a glance across the compartment, to his displeasure he saw that the pretty girl was still crying, denying him her attention.

At that moment, the compartment door slid open. A boy with a curtain of greasy, black hair and a hooked nose crossed over to the girl's side. And ten minutes later, James was certain he wanted nothing in the way of attention from any girl who fraternized with someone like _that_.

'What a git,' observed the boy disapprovingly, once the two had exited the compartment.

'His hair was nearly _dripping_. When do you think he last washed it?' cried James. 'Anyway, what's your name?'

'Sirius. Yours?'

'James Potter, at your service.'

Sirius nodded. 'My great-aunt married a Potter.'

'Well, that's pretty crap, because as far as I know all of my parent's relatives are dead,' said James carelessly.

Sirius shrugged. 'Knowing my family she was no loss.'

'And your family is?'

'The Blacks.'

James raised his eyebrows. 'As in,' he put on a posh, croaky voice, 'the Noble and Most Honorable House of Black, Black?'

'Dear god, James, it's the Noble and Most _Ancient_ House of Black. You need to know this stuff!'

* * *

Rose pulled Albus into the last free compartment before he could complain. She was taller than him, being lanky like her father, while he was small like his mother. Apart from that, he was a mirror image of his father.

The pair of eleven-year-olds fell back into the soft chairs. Rose slid her bag off her shoulder, and began to rummage around for her book.

Albus groaned. 'Rosie, no. Don't read _now_.'

She sighed, pulling her book onto her lap. 'Well what else am I going to do? I don't want to talk; you're in a bad mood.'

'I am not! I'm just angry that James walked off!'

'No, you're pissed off. And I don't want to deal with you.'

'I am not' – he lowered his voice – '_pissed off_.'

Rose laughed, and he crossed his arms. Just because she didn't have a problem with _cursing_ didn't mean he didn't either. He sighed, and absent-mindedly ran a hand through his hair, attempting to flatten the raven mess. 'Talk to me.'

'I always talk to you,' said Rose monotonously, not looking up from her book.

Rose and Albus had been together as long as they could remember. Albus had other Wizarding children he was friends with in Godric's Hollow, and Rose had friends from the Muggle school she had quite happily gone to (_just for fun_, her mother would say), but it had always been those two for as long as they could remember.

At family gatherings, they always went off together. Their parents were forever at each other's houses, and so they were too. Rose was only two weeks older than Albus, and so they had grown up together, usually having the one party for their birthdays. They knew everything about each other and did everything with each other, and they wouldn't have had it any other way.

'Do you think we'll be in Gryffindor?'

Rose rolled her eyes. 'Al, would you shut up about it? James is just an idiot. It doesn't matter at all.'

'But your dad said-'

'Geez, he was _joking_, Albus. Forget about it. _I_ don't think I'll be in Gryffindor,' snapped Rose.

Albus looked at her, her statement striking a match and lighting up the nervous knot in his throat. She had tied her mass of bushy, mousy hair in a messy bun. She hated her hair, and never had it out around her face, because, as she constantly grumbled, it got in the way of everything. 'You don't?'

'I'm not especially courageous. I'll hardly be in Gryffindor if Ravenclaw's there.'

Albus slumped back in his seat. It would be disappointing not to be in Gryffindor, but being in Ravenclaw of Hufflepuff wasn't what he was worried about. 'I didn't mean it like that…'

'I know what you meant, Al, and I decided not to justify it with an answer. Slytherins not any different to Ravenclaw, really.'

'Now a days,' muttered Albus, and Rose shook her head exasperatedly.

But he was right. There was still an obvious difference of views between most Slytherins and other Houses, but it had been diluted over the last nineteen years, along with the general need for Pure-blood. But in many eyes, the house of the serpent had not redeemed itself, and it was unlikely to ever do so. And in many Slytherin eyes, Muggle-borns were still worthless.

'Dad said I could ask the hat where I want to be put,' mumbled Albus.

'Then do that.'

'But that's not right!' he cried. 'I want to be put where I belong, not where I want.'

Rose sighed and shut her book. 'You evidently feel you can't have both. So make up your mind.'

* * *

As the two boys laughed, Lily felt like their obnoxious jokes were following her down the corridor of the train, and she shuddered. The boys made her uncomfortable and self-conscious and irritated.

To dim the laughter behind her, she suddenly ripped open the door she was passing and stepped in, Severus following her obediently.

The only other occupant was a tall, sickly-looking boy, who looked at them with soft blue eyes and a smile. Lily smiled back, and sat across from him, her chin in hands, and Severus dropped down beside her.

'Hello,' Lily said, smiling at the other boy.

He smiled back again. 'Hi.' He looked her up and down. 'Is this your first year?'

She bit her lip, suddenly feeling very small, considering her year-level was so obvious. 'Yes. What year are you in?'

'First year, too,' he replied. 'Any idea what House you'll be in?'

Lily stared blankly. She had flipped through her new school books, eager to find information, but non-fiction books were of no appeal to her, even when magical. She remembered something about Houses, but the exhilaration of imagining Hogwarts had made it hard to focus on anything at the time. She suddenly wished she had tried harder to plough through the book. Severus was forever raving about the House of Slytherin, but he had yet to explain the function of whatever _Houses_ were.

'Not really,' she improvised, continuing to nibble at her lip.

He smiled. 'Are you Muggle-born?'

She smiled a little. 'Yeah.'

'You'll be fine,' he told her kindly, taking in her recent blush. 'You won't be the only one.'

'So you're… non-Muggle-born?'

'Something along the lines of Half-blood,' he told her. 'My Grandmother on my mum's side was a Muggle.'

'Sev's dad's a Muggle,' said Lily, pleased she had something more interesting to say. 'He's told me lots about Magic. But he doesn't know much about Hogwarts either, seeming it's his first year, so I'm really looking forward to classes and stuff.'

The boy smiled at Severus, who pretended he didn't see and looked firmly away. He was in no way pleased that Lily had taken such a fondness to this stupid _Half-blood_.

'Well, Houses are like – like school groups, I guess,' he told her patiently. 'There's this thing called the Sorting Hat, and it decides which House you'd best suit.'

'How many Houses are there?'

'Four, one for each of the Hogwarts founders. There's Gryffindor, which is for bravery and stuff, and Ravenclaw, which is for intelligence, and Hufflepuff which is basically for the hard-workers and loyal ones.'

'And Slytherin?' Lily asked eagerly, lapping up the information greedily.

'Oh, you don't want to be in Slytherin. They're idiots, in Slytherin. It's all about blood-purity, so you wouldn't get in any way. But the idea is for the cunning and ambitious. My dad says that's ridiculous, judging by the idiots in Slytherin when he was in school. And according to him kids of Slytherins just get put in Slytherin, due to the Pure-blood infatuation.'

Lily sent a wary look towards Severus, who was scowling intently out the window.

The boy observed Lily's wariness, and choked back a chuckle. 'Of course, it's not _all_ bad.'

Lily leant forward, as if to discuss something very intimate. 'What do you want to be in?'

'Gryffindor would be alright, I suppose,' he said thoughtfully. 'But probably Ravenclaw.

Lily decided Ravenclaw did sound best. 'Do you have any siblings here? What House are they in?'

'No, I don't have any siblings.'

'Do you have any siblings out of school?'

The boy looked, almost grudgingly, out the window. 'My mum's going to have a baby.'

Lily grinned. 'Ooh, congratulations.'

His lips twitched but, for once it seemed, he couldn't hold a smile in place.

'I'm Lily, by the way,' she said happily. 'And this is Severus.'

He smiled at her. 'Remus.'

Suddenly, a short boy, running as fast as his plump legs could carry him, streaked past their compartment.

* * *

Roxy chatted idly to the female Ravenclaw prefect, Caitlin Corner, as they waited in the prefects' compartment. It was nearly time for them to exchange the roll of patrol with the fifth-year prefects, and the eight sixth-year prefects awaited them at the front of the train.

'Good summer, Weasley?' Roxy looked up to see Aaron Smith smiling down at her.

It was against Roxy's nature to be cold or uncaring, and usually seized a chance to talk to anyone and everyone. She was loud, joking, kooky, smiley and fun. But Aaron Smith was another story. He was not a cruel boy; he was just smug and patronizing to those he considered below him, Roxy's own cousin being one of them.

He was always pleasant towards Roxy, due to her social status, her soft ringlets that she snipped to her shoulders and into a low fringe, her plump cheeks, warm amber eyes and soft lips. However, it was hardly a secret that Roxy was currently taken by the new head of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and the most desirable and light-hearted new Gryffindor Quidditch captain. And once they were over (Roxy's relationships were never too serious) she would no doubt be lapped up by another charismatic Quidditch star, which was far from Aaron Smith.

When Roxy didn't answer him, he sighed. 'What's with Weasley girls and their reluctance to answer simple questions?' She continued to ignore him, and so he continued to speak. 'No offence intended, Roxanne, but I did expect to see you here.'

Roxy looked up at him.

'Wow, that's kind of you, Aaron,' piped up Paul Coote, the male Gryffindor prefect, and a Chaser on their team.

'Well in your brother's absence, I suppose I was expecting you to make Captain.'

Roxy gave a shrug. 'They gave it to Emory.'

'Ooh, is he excited?' asked Caitlin.

'Oh, definitely. You should have seen him when he got the badge, Caity, he practically wet himself.'

'So you're still together, then?' drawled Smith.

'Yes, Aaron,' Roxy sighed.

'All Summer? That's a long stretch for you, isn't it?'

'Smith,' Paul growled at her, moving to sit beside Roxy and Caitlin. 'Go away, would you?'

Smith leered at Paul, before marching away to sit with the Ravenclaw prefects.

'I owe you big time, Paul,' muttered Roxy, squeezing his hand in thanks.

'Forget it, he's so obnoxious,' grumbled Paul. 'You can pay me back by making sure Emory puts me back on the team.'

* * *

When the train started, Peter had been sitting contently (disregarding an inkling of loneliness) in an empty compartment. However, two boys (he believed their names to be Mulciber and Avery) had come in.

One had been huge and menacing, and Peter couldn't help but notice he had dribbled all the while. The other was stringy and seemed unnaturally stretched out, with wispy hair that didn't hide the grey of his scalp and wide, glinting eyes.

They had called him a rat and told him to get out of their compartment, and when he pretended, shaking, that he hadn't heard them, the big one had done some funny movement with hid wand and Peter had felt a cut open quickly and neatly on his cheek.

He had fled.

Apparently – _apparently_ –bullies were cowards. That's what his teacher at his Muggle primary school had told him. He had never, ever dobbed; that was just stupid. But teachers have a nasty habit of meddling where they ought not to and thinking they can fix everyone's problems.

It wasn't that Peter thought he could handle bullies on his own, because he couldn't. But stupid, mellow-voiced teachers weren't going to stop people like that. So they may as well let him be. He didn't want to be recognized as the one who needs help anyway.

No – bullies weren't cowards. Not the one's he had encountered, anyway. They didn't bully him because they were jealous or intimidated or they wet the bed or any of the crap his teachers told him; they just didn't like him.

* * *

**Okay. No reviews so far. Discouraging.**

**Please review. I swear it will be worth it. Thanks for reading x  
**


	3. Define

Where Dwell the Brave of Heart

**Part One – First Year**

_Define_

* * *

_Define – _

_1.__ To make clear the outline or form of something from another. _

_2.__ To explain or identify the nature or essential qualities_

* * *

Sirius and James dashed to the front of the crowd, pushing through the other first-years, receiving many disgruntled grumbles.

They reached the many, little wooden boats and scrambled into one, ignoring the instructions made by the Gamekeeper, who had introduced himself as "Ogg". The boys splashed each other recklessly, not avoiding splashing the surrounding students, who gave furious cries that the boys ignored.

'Not that boat,' said Lily sourly, as Remus went to get into the same boat as the boys. 'Not with _them_.'

'That's so mean!' cried Sirius.

'Look what you've done now,' said James sternly. 'You've made Sirius cry – how could anyone be so heartless?'

Remus suppressed a snort of laughter, before he and Severus followed Lily into another boat, a considerable distance from the boys.

* * *

The heavy oak doors opened into a sight the first-years could never have imagined. The high ceiling, indistinguishable from the star-splattered sky, opened up before them, dotted with the hundreds of candles that floated above the four tables. Children in black cloaks, laughing and chattering, sat at crowded the tables, drowning out other noise.

Professor Slughorn, as he had introduced himself, marched merrily down between the two middle tables, towards a fifth long table, evidently the staff table due to their superior seating above the children. In front of the staff table sat a small stool, with a moth-eaten, terribly worn old Wizarding hat, which Albus' father had told him so much about.

The first-years hurried down after the robust teacher, and stood in a nervous huddle before the stool and the staff-table. Around them the students began to fall silent, and the first-years suddenly felt hundreds of eyes fix upon them, as if stalked by a hungry animal.

Albus looked to Rose for reassurance, only to see her shaking slightly, a look of determination upon her obviously pale face. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

When the hall had fallen utterly silent and the first-years began to get anxious, a rip in the hat opened, and lyrical words tumbled out. The tune depicted tales of long-dead founders and their ideas and morals, and when the song had finished, the hall erupted in cheers. Professor Slughorn stepped forwards, and the heads turned to him. 'When I call your name, please step forward and sit on the stool so you can be sorted.' He cleared his throat. 'Bones, Graeme!'

A quivering boy stepped tentatively forward, and edged towards the hat. He sat on the stool, shaking, until, after a moment's consideration, the rip in the hat opened once more and screamed, 'HUFFLEPUFF!'

The table on the right cheered, and Graeme Bones got eagerly to his feet, and stumbled towards his new House-table.

'Cornfoot, Jill!'

The sorting went on, and "P" edged torturously nearer. Albus was taking little notice of his surrounding students, too anxious to hear his own name. Until a face struck some recognition. After Aiden MacDougal joined Ravenclaw, a boy with a slightly pointed face and head of sleek, platinum-blonde hair headed towards the stool following Slughorn's call of _Malfoy, Scorpius._

* * *

'Bonham, Adorna!'

Lily watched as the girl beside her took her nervous steps towards the stool, and watched as Adorna joined Allen Avery. The girl grinned, revealing almost fang-like teeth, and she slunk off to the cheering table. Lily noticed that many of these students looked positively frightful.

'You see?' Remus whispered in her ear, as he watched her apprehensive observation of the Slytherin table. 'Bunch of creeps.'

Lily nodded, and stepped a little nearer to Remus.

Professor McGonagall moved on to the next name. 'Black, Sirius!'

Lily looked to the two boys who had initially been in the same compartment as her. The thinner one gave the other a playful shove and, laughing, the Black boy headed towards the stool.

The hat came to rest on Sirius' head of coal black hair, which fell lazily against his handsome face and against his pale neck. His grey eyes danced around the room, waiting for the hat's words.

Sirius looked towards the Slytherin table. Bellatrix and Andromeda sat amongst a large group of smug-faced senior students.

_A Black. How interesting._

Sirius stopped himself from blurting out, "I am pretty damn intriguing."

_Self-assured, no doubt_.

Sirius stifled a chuckle when he realised the hat had heard.

_Self-assured, fearless_._ Not so different from your cousin. And yet, there is still such a contrast._

_She's mental_, Sirius thought defensively, looking towards Bellatrix.

'GRYFFINDOR!'

* * *

On the seat, Scorpius looked out around the students, quite aware there were a number of whispers floating around. After the war, the Malfoys had attempted to have themselves lost in a sea of new beginnings and forgotten in a new world, but it was hard to ignore the Grandson of the man who had enabled the darkest Wizard of all time.

He gave a foreboding look towards the Slytherin table, and awaited sighs of, _Ah, Slytherin, of course._ He felt the worn material rest upon his head, and a voice in his ear, sizing him up.

And suddenly –

'GRYFFINDOR!'

Scorpius felt his heart miss a beat, and then begin again at a dangerous pace. Blank eyes stared up at him, before, after a long hesitation, the table on the far left began to applaud. Albus watched as the skinny blonde slipped off the hat and walked swiftly over to the table, dropping into a seat and looking down at his lap.

* * *

'Evans, Lily!'

Remus felt a sudden draw towards Lily, as she began her shaky ascent towards the rickety stool. He kept his arms pressed to his side in an attempt to discourage himself from grabbing her wrist and pulling her into a comforting hug.

Her petite form came to rest on the stool, and his eyes travelled up and down her, watching her shake from head to foot. But after a moment, the rip in the hat twitched open. 'GRYFFINDOR!'

Remus decided Ravenclaw probably wasn't that great anyway.

It took Fabias Hookum to Ravenclaw, Hestia Jones to Gryffindor and Marcus Lufkin to Hufflepuff to get to Remus. And he waited with the hat on his head, his loyalty and wit contending, before his bravery won out and he joined Lily.

* * *

The sorting went on.

Francesco Moon to Hufflepuff. Alexander Nott to Slytherin. Carla Travassos to Ravenclaw.

And finally, Albus Potter spiked a hushed silence, and every eye in the hall followed Albus up to the stool. He caught the eyes of Neville Longbottom and Hagrid, both of whom his parents had over for dinner quite often, and they both gave him warm smiles.

He sat on the stool and looked longingly towards the Gryffindor table. All eyes were on him, taking in his meager image and his resemblance to the Chosen One. His eyes travelled to each of his cousins in turn, who smiled at him.

Finally he reached James. His brother, who he was of no resemblance to apart from their jet black hair, seemed to be the only being in the room not staring at him, but looking stubbornly at the wall. Albus suddenly felt very alone.

Finally, the hat came to rest on his head.

_A Potter, I see_.

Albus refused to answer, and looked back at Rose, whose eyes were wide with anticipation.

_Reasonably clever, no doubt._

His eyes looked at Molly, and she blinked innocently at him with mascara-lathered lashes.

_Fiercely loyal. A Hufflepuff, perhaps_.

He caught the eyes of Professors Hagrid and Longbottom, who both gave him a nod.

_And brave. Yes, how could you not be? _

He looked to Roxy, who beamed at him.

_But even with parents like yours, bravery doesn't seem the right word for you._

He looked to Louis, who gave him the thumbs up.

_Quiet, aren't we? But you wish you wouldn't be, yes? You… aspire?_

He looked to Victoire, who gave him one of her beautiful smiles.

_And you refuse to offer an opinion. Rather… introverted._

He looked Dominique, whose lips twitched into something of a smile.

_Perhaps ambitious would be the word for you._

He looked back at James, who still refused to look up at him.

'SLYTHERIN!'

James' head shot up. Gasps rang around the room. Mouths fell open. Whispers broke up.

He felt faint. He wanted to run, to hide, to have his mother hold him. But instead, he got to his feet, and walked numbly towards the Slytherin table, which hesitantly began to clap. He looked back at Slughorn, who had been staring at him from his place near the stool. After a moment, he turned back to his parchment, and read out the next name.

Albus seemed to be in a trance. He kept his eyes on Rosie –skeptical, entrancing, critical, witty, giggly Rosie, who would be sorted into Slytherin when hell froze over, and he suddenly realised he would be alone for the next seven years.

* * *

The group was depleting and the other students were losing interest in the tiny first-years. Out of all of Ted's friends, Alice was the only one still paying attention. He rolled his eyes; predictable Alice, actually taking an interest is trivial strangers.

She shifted in her seat, moving her chin from her left hand to the other. Her Head Girl badge glinted in the lights of the thousands of floating candles, and demanded his attention. It was a very pretty badge, after all. And it wasn't his fault is Alice had forgotten to do up her top button.

Nobody appreciated Alice's body, Ted considered rather crossly. Everyone always got distracted by her intellect and her serene, calming voice and the fact that she never said anything bad about _anyone_, even Slytherins. And everyone assumed she wasn't attractive because she was plump and her face was round and quite unremarkable. But she did have very nice curves.

Ted jumped suddenly. _Idiot, imagine what Frank would say_, he told himself angrily; _probably laugh his arse off at me and call me desperate_. He looked beside him at his best friend, who was twirling his fork in his fingers, his capable arms flexing under his robes, one of the many bored with the sorting.

Ted shook his head. Why was he eyeing off Alice? He was pretty sure he wasn't in the middle of an epiphany, realizing his love for her; that was just stupid. She actually annoyed him half the time, with the way she was always pointing out the good things about the Slytherins in their year.

And it wasn't like he was desperate. He was a good-looking guy, after all. Rugged, nice eyes, a strong chest. Great a Quidditch. Relatively smart…

He had only been thrown off his game because Frank was crowned the captain of the Quidditch team and not him. It wasn't that Frank was more capable than him; he was just more charismatic. Him and his damn girlfriend of three years, charming teachers and being _nice_ to the right people.

Ted observed the remaining first-years, and inclined his head towards Frank. 'The one with black hair's Seeker build.'

Frank was silent for a moment, considering. 'Too tall.'

Ted looked at him. 'He'd reach, like… our _knee_.'

'Not in a few years, he's taller than the rest. And besides; he hasn't even been sorted yet,' Frank reasoned, as _Potter, James_ was called, and the aforementioned first-year headed up to the stool.

There was a moment's silence, before James Potter became an official potential Gryffindor seeker.

* * *

Amanda Shimpling to Hufflepuff. Grace Ridgebit to Ravenclaw. Lavender Thomas to Gryffindor. It went on, until finally, the last name of the list.

'Weasley, Rose!'

A few more whispers went out, as the daughter of the two people who aided the famous Harry Potter beyond all others. Rose stood up straight, and, with her head held high, she took her seat on the rickety stool.

_What a mind_.

Rose jumped, and quickly composed herself. _Thank you_, she thought desperately.

_But the bravery wins out._

Rose felt a little skip of glee in her chest.

_But you want your cousin…_

Her eyes flittered over to Albus, who sat amongst the Slytherins, so foreign and alien looking amongst his new surroundings.

_But no._

'GRYFFINDOR!'

Rose gave a rueful look towards Albus as she got to her feet, and hurried towards the table that held her family, and with it came stability and warmth. She gave a sigh of relief, and pushed Albus from her mind.

* * *

**Okay, so, I know I **_**should**_** be updating **_**Aint It Odd**_**, but I have to weave in all this stuff about Japanese New Year, and it's difficult. So lucky you guys! A new chapter!**

**Yeah... not very good.**

**Pleeease review. I need to know me writing this isn't ****completely**** pointless! Thankyou so much for reading. x**


	4. Adjust

**Sorry about the wait. I'm really not happy about this chapter; it could have been a lot better, but I'd still really appreciate some reviews.**

**Luuuurve. x**

* * *

Where Dwell the Brave of Heart

**Part One – First Year**

_Adjust_

* * *

_Adjust – _

_1.__ To change so as to match or fit; cause to correspond._

_2.__ To adapt or conform, as to new conditions._

_3. To alter multiple components in order to achieve a more efficient function._

X

Rose refused to look over her shoulder while she lost herself in the splendid food and the praising from her cousins. She counted as each of them came to congratulate her. She sat beside another first year with long hair, a dark complexion and pink ribbons in her hair, whose name she had forgotten in the rush of getting sorted.

'I think we'll be dorm-mates,' said Rose suddenly, as Victoire backed away from congratulating her, and returned to the group of seventh-year girls, surrounded by idolizing boys.

'Mhmm, probably,' chirped the girl. Her voice was shrill and sweet, and she was reminded of both Molly and Lily. 'Are you Ron and Hermione Weasley's daughter?'

Rose nodded.

'Ooh, my parents went to school with them!' she said proudly, spinning round in her seat to give Rose her full attention. Rose looked into her dark, eager eyes, and decided the girl seemed very nice.

'Oh, really? What were there names?'

'Dean and Parvati Thomas,' she said proudly. 'I think both our parents had dinner together at the Leaky Cauldron over the summer, with Professor Longbottom and his wife.'

'Yeah, they've mentioned you before.'

The girl smiled, boasting a mouth full of bright, white teeth, before looking across to the Slytherin table. She leant in closer to Rose. 'Why is Harry Potter's son over _there_?'

Rose chanced a glance around, and regretted it when she saw Albus looking at her. 'I don't know,' she said, turning back to the girl. 'It doesn't really matter anymore, though, does it?'

The girl shrugged, and picked up her fork again. 'I'm Lavender, by the way. I know it's a stupid name, but that's my Godmothers name, and that girl,' she pointed up the table, to where a blonde girl was sitting with Molly, 'is named after my mother.' Lavender rolled her eyes. 'It's so bad. Rose, right?'

Rose nodded.

Lavender scoffed. 'Rose and Lavender. We're going to be popular.'

Rose laughed, but couldn't help but notice that a boy whose name had been read as "Edan McLaggen" was eyeing Lavender and her sweet face and flowing hair.

'Hey, Rosie.' Rose turned, for the fourth time at that point (Louis and Victoire being the first to come congratulate her), to find Molly beaming at her.

'This is like, so cool!' squealed Molly, jumping up and down, her light curls bouncing. 'We've all been Gryffindors!'

Rose smiled. 'Yeah. Except Al.'

Molly's mouth dropped open dramatically. 'Ohmygod, I know! What the fuck! Seriously! Anyway, welcome to Gryffindor!'

'Hi, Lavender,' said the blonde girl who had followed Molly over.

'Hi, Parvati,' said Lavender in a sickly sweet drawl that Rose hadn't heard her use yet.

'Cute ribbons. Let's go, Molly. Bye, Roxy,' said Parvati quickly, before pulling Molly back to their place amongst the good-looking fourth-year boys.

Lavender made a derisive clicking with her tongue. 'She is _sooo_ annoying. I always see her, 'cause our mums are like, _always_ together! And she's always squealing and playing with her hair and- eeh, desert!' squealed Lavender suddenly, and Rose giggled.

Sure enough, their now demolished remains of Kidney pie and roast were instantly wiped from their plates and replaced by tarts of all sorts and iced cakes.

* * *

Straight-backed, sharp eyed and with pursed lips, the group of sixteen and seventeen-year-olds sat with dignified silence, content with the lack of words, for simply knowing that they were accepted into the elite group was enough to keep their aristocratic tongues tied with pleasure.

'Andromeda,' Lucius begun, for it was his right to speak first, 'Bellatrix tells me you did exceedingly well with your O.W.L.s. I always thought you had the makings to go places; perhaps come work at the Ministry.'

'Lucius,' Bellatrix cooed, examining her nails with great interest, 'if you begin to once again tell us about the position you've been offered at the Ministry,' she paused to lift a knife daintily off the table with her pale hand she had deemed satisfactory, 'please trust that I would not be against running this across your neck.' She said this so evenly, and yet with unmistakable malice. Lucius fell quiet.

'Won't your youngest sister be starting here next year, Bellatrix?' inquired Waldorf Greengrass.

'My younger brother will too,' said Rodolphus Lestrange quickly, jumping at the opportunity for input. 'He'll be in Slytherin, I bet, with Nartitia.'

'Narcissa,' corrected Andromeda absent-mindedly, unfazed by any of the strands of conversation that she caught onto.

'I've seen your sister at the station,' said Lucius, observing Bellatrix with his cold, grey eyes. 'She doesn't look like an ordinary _Black,_ but I'm sure she'll make a fine Slytherin none the less.' Bellatrix ignored him.

'Yeah, unlike that Sirian,' snorted Rodolphus, his oily, dark hair falling around his neck as he laughed. Many of the others boys averted their eyes, and Lucius smirked, awaiting Bellatrix's vicious retort.

* * *

'Congrats, Rosie-posie,' said Roxy, dropping into the seat beside her and giving her a squeeze. 'Hello,' she said, leaning across to Lavender, who smiled back. 'Me and James just thought we'd come say congratulations,' continued Roxy.

Rose looked to see James standing behind them, a look of deep discontent on his handsome face. It was apparent Roxy had dragged James over by his subdued silence. Out of all of the Weasley children James was the loudest, most annoying, most extroverted and most entertaining; he only acted like this if Albus was favuored over him or if his father was mentioned.

Roxy looked around at him, prompting the thirteen-year-old to say something.

He gave her a reproachful look with the bright brown of his doe-eyes, which he and Lily had inherited from their mother. Apart from the hair and eyes in turn, James looked like neither of his parents, which may account for his hostility towards those idolizers of Albus. He had the charming grin of George, and the high cheekbones of Molly, and the strong chin of Arthur. But of Ginny and Harry? Nothing but hair and eyes, whereas Albus was a mere mirror-image of their father and Lily of their mother.

'Congrats, Roz,' he said, a smile lighting up his previously morbid face. 'Part of the cult now.'

'Everyone was anticipating you being a Gryffindor,' said Roxy. 'Nate actually quizzed me, trying to find out if you were good at Quidditch.' Roxy looked back at James, before she continued. 'Did Al say anything to you before he went up?'

Rose too looked to James, whose face had once again turned grim at the mention of his brother. 'No. I hope he's alright,' said Rose, biting her lip in thought.

'Well, he's a _Potter_, isn't he?' snapped James. 'Little Al. He's absolutely fine. So what? He's in Slytherin? It's all good; he's Albus Potter.'

'Stop it, James,' said Roxy firmly.

Rose exchanged looks with Lavender, who had been listening to the conversation.

'Have a great first night, Rose,' said James coldly, before turning and marching back down to a group of laughing third-years.

'He's such a child,' Roxy said exasperatedly.

Rose nodded. 'You don't think he's going to do anything to Albus, do you?'

'Don't worry. He's just disappointed,' said Rose. 'I bet he was looking forward to having his brother in Gryffindor.'

'Bull shit,' sighed Rose.

'Rose Ginevra Weasley, I don't think I like my baby cousin swearing!'

'You sound like Al,' said Rose derisively, before her annoyed grin faltered. 'Poor Al.'

Roxy sighed. 'He's brave. He'll get over it.' She got to her feet and walked away, before Lavender started asking her hurried questions about her family.

Rose looked again over to Albus, and couldn't help but think _not brave enough_.

* * *

Lily scooped monstrous spoonfuls through her pink lips, all the while watched by Remus, a partial look of longing in his eyes. Becoming aware of his blue eyes upon her, her cheeks flushed red, and she dropped her spoon onto her plate. 'Why aren't you eating?'

He averted his eyes. 'I don't feel well.' His eyes shifted to the translucent ceiling and saw the mimicked image of the night sky. The moon was large and weary-looking, ready to grow full within the next week. 'What are you going to do with Severus in Slytherin?'

Lily's grass-green eyes fell to her lap. 'I don't know,' she murmured, beginning to nibble the chipped nail of her index finger, 'I'll make new friends.'

'As if you'd want to give up friends like Snivelly!'

Lily's eyes shot a short space down the table to where James and Sirius sat, grinning broadly at her.

'Yeah, Evans, he was such a great guy,' James laughed, aiding Sirius' initial input.

'Why can't you just leave me alone?' Lily snapped at them, crossing her arms and turning back to her desert. Her treacle tart lay on the golden plate before her, quickly losing its heat, and she realized how unappetizing it looked.

'Well, for starters if it wasn't for you then that git wouldn't have crossed our path,' said James slyly, motioning towards the Slytherin table in reference to Severus.

Remus smirked, careful not to let Lily see; however, James did.

'What's funny?' he asked coldly, though Remus noted the way his chest swelled with arrogance, pleased to have his humour recognized by someone.

Lily swiveled round to face Remus her brow creased at his apparent laughter. He blinked, taking a moment to find words to aid his recovery. 'Well, firstly,' he began, 'your fly's undone. And secondly, I find it a bit pathetic that you're mocking some kid you spoke to once. Although, that is enough, seeming I exchanged my first words with you in the last ten seconds and it's all it's taken for me to realize you're mentally impaired, due to the fact you're using the serving ladle to eat your soup.'

James' eyes darted to the odd spoon he was holding, and his fists clenched. His parents never made him obey usual table manners; he could eat whenever, wherever and whatever he pleased, and it was usually things that didn't require knowledge on the proper uses of utensils.

'Yeah, well, you're ridiculously skinny and it looks like you'd collapse if someone bumped you,' said James gruffly.

'Well rounded comeback,' mocked Remus. Sirius chuckled darkly, receiving a light punch in the arm from James.

* * *

'Hey there, Alison.'

Albus turned with a jump, not immediately recognizing the voice that constantly plagued him. However, at the sight of the familiar face his shoulders slumped and he let out a sigh of relief. 'James! Where have you been? I went looking for you, and-'

'Slytherin, aye?'

Albus fell silent. 'Yeah. But, James, I don't know what happened! I went up there, and the hat was saying stuff about aspiring and all this other stuff, and stuff. And what if Mum and Dad are mad? Will you write to them for me? What do you think Grandpa will say?'

'No one's going to be mad at you, Al,' said James calmly. 'It's you, right? If Dad ever even thinks of telling you off I'll have Molly put on the team.'

Albus still shook slightly. 'You think?'

'Yeah, I can walk too, and all this other shit!' said James excitedly.

Albus looked at his feet, feeling too overwhelmed to find solace his brother's feeble attempt at humour, and James was revolted to find that he was taking pity on his brother.

* * *

The five girls were sitting cross legged on each of their beds, their eyes strictly pointed at the foot of the ends, too nervous to face each other. Lily's fingers tugged a loose piece of cotton on her striped pajamas, her eyes jumping back and forth from her bad to the framed photo of her and Petunia she had left situated on her new bedside table.

'I'm Dorcas,' said a doe-eyed girl with short, fair hair, sitting in the bed closest to the window.

'Hestia,' offered a small girl with black curls and rosy-cheeks.

'Marlene,' squeaked a girl donned in pink pajamas, blonde waves rolling around her face.

'Emmeline,' finished a slim-faced girl with straight brown hair that shrouded her eyes and fell far below her shoulders.

'Lily,' she murmured finally.

The girls smiled around at each other, Lily slowly relaxing in her new surroundings.

* * *

'Boy's through there,' said the male prefect with a sneer. His eyes lingered on Albus for a moment, his lip curling, and Albus dropped his gaze hurriedly. The prefect turned sharply and traipsed back across the dungeon-like common room to the other fifth years, who had been eyeing the five first-year boys with mocking smirks, whispering taunts in the ears of their friends that the first-years were glad they couldn't pick up.

The five boys stood around for a moment, Albus keeping his eyes on his feet, as the new comers felt themselves being observed (or perhaps they were just paranoid, Albus considered) by the room full of older Slytherins, their well-trained eyes all glinting green from the enchanted lamps that lit the low-ceilinged room.

A lanky boy flexed his shoulders with an air of superiority, and became to first first-year to venture into the common room, soon followed by the other three boys. After a moment's hesitation Albus hurried in after them, deciding he couldn't bear another moment amongst the older students.

The dormitory closely mirrored the room they had just entered from; green-tinged lamps hung from the low ceilings, furniture lathered with green (black bed sheets with green lace trimmings), cool stone floors and no windows. Their footsteps echoed around the dim room, as the boys made their ways to the beds that each had their trunks at their foots. Silently, avoiding the other's eyes, each of the boys changed slowly into their pajamas and slipped into their beds, where they sat, considering what to say,

'Hey,' began a twitchy-eyed boy. He grinned at Albus, bearing a number of crooked teeth. 'Why are you here? Slytherin, I mean.'

Albus shrugged, trying not to shake too noticeably.

'I'm Hubert,' he announced. 'Albus, right?' He paused for Albus to nod a clarification. 'Yeah, thought so. No offence but everyone just knows you as Harry Potter's son. I never knew your name.' He nodded in the direction of a boy with thick eyebrows and a dark complexion. 'That's Rex. Our fathers are business associates.'

Albus smiled at the boy, who gave a stiff nod in return. However, he seemed rather annoyed at Hubert for drawing attention to him, and fixed the first boy with a mutinous look, which Hubert appeared not to notice.

'Mace Wilkes,' announced the lanky boy, who had been the first to enter the dormitory.

'We've got no problem with you being here, by the way,' informed Hubert. 'The war didn't affect me. Or Rex. Right, Rex? How about you, Wilkes?'

'It's Mace,' said the lanky boy forcefully. 'And no. My family dissociated itself from anything… messy.'

The three boys then looked to the only boy who hadn't yet introduced himself, and Albus followed their lead. 'And you?' prompted Mace.

'Alexander Nott. My Grandfather died in Azkaban last year,' he said coldly. 'Our fathers were at school together,' he informed Albus. 'He advised me to stick by that Malfoy boy – and try to keep away from _you_. I guess that's not going to happen.'

Hubert gave a squeaky trill of glee. 'My father talks about the Malfoys – knew Lucius Malfoy. Did some work with him at the Ministry when he first started out.' He looked over at Alexander. 'I think _your_ family might have done some work with him too, Nott.'

'You'll shut the hell up if you know what you're doing,' said Alexander viciously, but Hubert seemed undeterred, and continued on about the Malfoys.

'Everyone laughs at them. All Purebloods, at least, seeming they've been forgotten by everyone else, see,' he told Albus. 'After the war they wanted to stay out of sight; they're all so ashamed. Pathetic. They might as well hold their heads high. You'd know all about that though, wouldn't you, Al?'

Albus nodded. This was a lie. He knew nothing of the war. His parents didn't talk about it, instead dropping patchy lines of information that gave him nothing. He knew the technicalities; Voldemort; his father's victory; the fight. But no detail; just an ignorant view that included nothing of children fighting and a corrupt Ministry; snippets of conversation was all he knew of these subjects, from hushed discussions between his older cousins and somber conversations between his aunts and uncles behind closed doors. He suddenly felt very small compared to the other boys.

* * *

**Revieww please. xxx**


	5. Educate

**Okayy, so yeah. My PC got a virus and my wi-fi has not been working so I have had no access to the internet via my laptop. My PC dying insured a few days of depression about my iTunes library and photos, which I did not have on my laptop. Plus side is no internet (facebook, ect.) let me focus on writing this shit for you all. And now I have my music back - Yay! All safe!**

**So what's been up with mee? Yeah, stop reading now if you want. But anyway, it's Easter holidays now. I'm happy with our new massive desktop Mac (love you, Dad). I got A-plus on my History test in the last week of school. Lots of fun shit happened over the holidays. I got my nose pierced. So yeah. All good with Tomiko Lou. If you're on holidays at the moment too, how has your time been?**

**But my point is, sorry about the wait. Ehh, who am I kidding, it would have taken me just as long to update even if I could get onto my account. But enjoy anyway.**

* * *

Where Dwell the Brave of Heart

**Part One – First Year**

_Educate_

* * *

_Educate -_

_1. To develop the innate capacities of, especially by schooling or instruction._

_2. To provide with knowledge or training in a particular area or for a particular purpose._

_3. An instructive or enlightening experience._

* * *

'Hey, Victoire.'

Victoire's bright, shining eyes slid forward to see Kenny Davies drop into the bench across from her. She gave him a teasing smile, careful to display her straight, pearly teeth. 'Hi, Kenny,' she said, throwing her long hair over her shoulders, 'how was Greece?' A few of Victoire's friends giggled, their heads bent together. She gave them a pointed smile and they shifted further along the dining table.

'Fucking great, Vicky, I tell you. 'Course, international Flew Powder's a bitch, but when we got there… next year you're coming. Beaches, good food, European women; they're the best type, right?' he said, raising his eyebrows at her. 'Maybe not Greece next time though. Wouldn't mind experiencing French women, right?'

Victoire's let out a chiming, hearty laugh, throwing her hair back. 'Good try, Kenny,' she giggled, patting his hand affectionately. She leant across the table, the undone top button of her school shirt quite prominent. 'You know my boyfriend went to the Cup too.' Something tightened in Kenny's jaw, and she gave mocking giggle. 'See you in Charms, Kenny,' she announced, running her expertly snipped bangs through her manicured fingers as she examined herself in the back of her spoon. With a defeated frown Kenny returned to the Ravenclaw table, Victoire watching him go with a smug smile. Her head whipped around when she heard a mutinous grumble. A few students up from her Dominique sat alone, examining her sister with something of revulsion.

'What?' snapped Victoire.

Dominique, frustrated at being noticed, looked back down at her food, allowing her long, unstyled-head head of equally silvery-blonde fall across her face.

'Nice boots,' mocked Victoire, nodding at Dominique's black boots, which had evidently been intended for men's wear. 'Where's Logan? Come on, Dommy, be a big girl now. Answer me. Ignoring people doesn't mean you win.'

'He's at the Ravenclaw table,' Dominique spat, and Victoire slid towards her, the younger students moving out of her way so she could approach her sister. 'And it's _Lorcan_.'

'Why isn't he with you?'

'Because he's a Ravenclaw,' Dominique spat.

Victoire sighed. 'Dommy, if you're going to look like a butch bitch at least do it properly,' Victoire reprimanded, stretching a smooth, even-skinned arm towards her sister's eyes. 'You've made a complete mess of your eyeliner, I'll get it-'

Dominique swatted her away. 'What do you think Teddy would say if he saw you acting like such a whore around Davies?'

Victoire laughed. 'Now, Dommy,' said Victoire, patting her sister's hand affectionately and receiving a mutinous glare from Dominique, 'you've met Teddy, right?' Dominique frowned. 'Ever noticed his arms, Dommy? They're nice, aren't they; you can just tell he's got a nice chest by his arms, and he absolutely does, by the way. And his eyes, right? They're nice, aren't they. Almost like you can't look away. And that smile he does, the one right before you make him laugh? He sort of bites his bottom lip, and the top one twitches. It's very sweet.'

Dominique tried to focus on her bacon and eggs. She wasn't exactly sure where he sister was going with this; true, Teddy his have very nice eyes, but she wasn't sure about the lip thing. She never spent extended, intimate periods of time with him like Victoire. She had never made him laugh.

'Exactly,' said Victoire smugly. 'So don't try and tell me that you'd know better than me that wherever Teddy goes he gets flirted with. And he flirts back. It's a two-way street, Dommy. It's how we work.' Dominique scowled. 'Tata, I have Charms,' said Victoire abruptly, jumping to her feet. 'Head girls can't be late.' Dominique watched her sister stride away, glaring viciously.

* * *

'Okay, so, I'd say this Saturday, not Sunday because by then everyone will have lapsed into a false sense of contentment, and we can't wait until _next_ week because then the desperation will have warn down, and we won't get the _really_ eager ones; it's best to test them out there when they're anxious and not quite sure what to expect – we can't give them a chance to get information about it from teachers or anything-'

'Love this one, Roxy,' said James, smirking heartily.

'Em, calm down, mate,' said Paul Coote consolingly, patting his friend on the shoulder. 'It's just try-outs.'

'_Just_ try-outs?' demanded Emory. 'You think this is about _try-outs?_ It's got _nothing_ to do with try-outs!'

'Oh, Peakes, do shut up,' sighed Roxy, and Paul sent her a praising look. 'They're all just first years who want to try out. They're not going to be effected by what day we have it on. If we're going to have any chance at the cup this year should just choose who we're going to sign up and ask them in private.'

'Isn't that a bit…'

'Unfair?' finished Sandra, cutting Paul off.

'Fuck fair, this is Quidditch, It's more important than money, and friends and happiness,' said James, and Sandra laughed.

'Okay, so let's do this,' said Roxy, picking her head up off Sandra's shoulder in a serious manner. 'Peakes, who do we want?'

'Well, Eric Finnegan was good when he was a reserve last year-'

'Not Finnegan,' said Sandra forcefully. 'Next.'

'And why not?' asked James.

'They broke up over the summer,' said Roxy gravely.

'Well, I'm sorry, Sandra, but its Quidditch, and I am the captain…' began Emory.

'If she doesn't want him, we won't have him,' said Roxy.

'Yes we will,' announced James. 'I like him. He's good.'

'No, no, no…' said Emory thoughtfully. 'Come on, James. It's a team. We need to keep everyone happy-'

'You're just saying that because Roxy is,' laughed Paul.

'I am not, now listen-'

'Yes, you are,' said James. 'That's not fair! I can't measure up to her! I don't have breasts!'

'Oh, fuck off, James,' said Roxy, shifting along the grass of the Quidditch pitch to where Emory was sitting. She turned his head towards her with her dark hand, sliding her other one up the inside of his thigh as she engaged him in a kiss.

'Oh, get a room,' snapped James.

'I can actually see their tongues trying to knot themselves together,' said Sandra. James and Paul sniggered.

'Okay, stop it now,' said Paul, clicking his fingers in Emory's ear. 'We need a team.'

'Busy, Paul,' mumbled Emory, nudging away the brunette and returning to Roxy.

'Quidditch!' shouted James abruptly. He got to his feet and grabbed the neck of Emory's flannelette button-up that Roxy was wearing over his Weird Sister's top. He yanked her backwards and she toppled onto her back on the Quidditch pitch. She yanked James down on the ground, getting onto her knees and pinning him down. 'Get off!' he snapped, attempting to kick her off. 'Your top's stupid! They broke up ten years ago and you don't even like them!'

'Stop it, stop it, stop it,' sighed Emory, pulling the two apart with the means of yanking back James' collar. 'Now James; anyone in your year? Or sixth year?' inquired Emory, looking around at his girlfriend, Sandra and Paul.

'You know,' said Roxy thoughtfully, 'there's always Dom.'

'_Dom?_' scoffed James. '_Our Dom?_'

'Dom?' said Sandra confusedly. 'Who's Dom?'

'Dominique Weasley,' said Emory, 'you know, Victoire's sister.'

'Oh, the blonde one,' said Paul, nodding.

'With the ridiculous eye-makeup,' added Sandra with a nod.

'I didn't know she played Quidditch,' said Paul, looking at Roxy and James for elaboration.

'She doesn't,' said James, 'she played a few games in her second year, but quit before the first term.'

'Well, is she good?' asked Emory.

'She's alright.'

'Alright won't get us the cup,' Emory told younger boy.

'Okay,' said Roxy, placing her hand back on Emory's leg, 'she's great.'

* * *

It was Wednesday and she was already sick of school. She was sick of the girls in her dormitory; traipsing along after her, idolizing her every move, seeking her advice and opinion and desires and complimenting her ornate robes and carefully styled hair. Is it so wrong for her to want to read _Witch Weekly _and paint her nails in peace? She was very grateful that she had been able to slip away from them and into the library. The vast expanse of shelves and dusty books stretched out before her. Students sat hunched in corners and over tables, poring over their books. She rolled her eyes. _Losers._ The only things books were good for was as a tool to feign business and an excuse not to listen to people.

Some Ravenclaws in the year below her began whispering in each other's ears as she strode past their table, craning their necks to see the curves in the back of her long, violet dress. When she paused and they noticed she was observing them, one of the boys cocked his eyebrow. 'Hey.' She turned, rolling her eyes and made a turn down the nearest aisle to hide herself from their vision. She found herself in the second row of the Quidditch section. She made a sound of derisiveness. She hated Quidditch. She turned to leave the aisle, but the voices of the Ravenclaw boys were carrying.

_'Did you see her ass?'_

_'Thank god for tight skirts.'_

_'Pity that girl wears them so long. Imagine the legs of someone with her tits.'_

She scowled and turned back to the aisle, strolling down it angrily. She stopped and scanned a shelf with disinterest. She raised her pale, thin-fingered hand, running her long, sharp nails along the spines of a shelf. She pursed her lips, frowning. She picked out a thick, brown-covered book entitled _Quidditch; If Life Was Situated in the Air, the Common Man's Orgasm Would Be a Broom Stick._

Tugging it off the shelf, she jumped back, and the book landed with a thunk. A pale grey eye peered back at her from the other side of the shelf. The face crinkled with what she guessed was a smirk, and disappeared before a fair-haired boy around her age appeared at the end of the aisle. 'Sorry,' he said, smirking again, and she frowned at him. He bent down to pick up the book, his eyes lingering on her legs as he straightened up. He handed her the book, examining the title as he did so. 'Getting some inside information on orgasms?' he smirked once more. 'Because you know, I could help you with that.'

She raised her eyebrows before she caught on. 'No, thank you,' she snarled, pushing past him.

'Are you sure?' he asked, following her out of the aisle, still smirking. 'Because I'm on Gryffindor's Quidditch team!' he called, but she was hurrying from the library.

* * *

'I don't see why I can't even eat with you. This is the first class I've had with you since I've been here. And see – there! They're call glaring at me! They think I should be sitting with them!' Rose looked where Albus was pointing; the four Slytherin boys dropped their heads and took their seats at a table across the classroom.

'Ignore it, Al, it doesn't matter. They all just think you're amazing,' said Rose, directing her, Albus and Lavender to a table by the window.

'Hi, Albus.' The three of them looked up to see said the small boy with dark, glossy hair standing over the tab;e, beaming at Albus. He had entered the classroom just after them, and followed them across the room. 'Can we sit here?' he asked, motioning to himself and the four other Gryffindor boys. Albus looked nervously at Rose, who rolled her eyes. 'Thanks,' said the boy, and he and the others took their seats. 'I'm Vexo.'

'I'm Edan,' said the largest of the boys, who was looking intently at Lavender.

'I'm Nero,' said a mousy-haired freckled boy.

'I'm Antony,' said a boy with wide, curious eyes and dark tufts sprouting from his shaved head.

The four boys looked at the fifth boy. Albus and Rose exchanged looks. It was the boy with platinum-blonde hair, and he was looking stubbornly at his book, refusing to look up. 'That's Scorpius,' said Edan. 'You should come sit with us at lunch, Al.'

'Well, um, I'd kind of like to stay with Rose, actually.'

'Is your name Rose?' Vexo asked, turning to her.

Scorpius muttered something that sounded like, _who else would she be, idiot?_ Rose, biting her lip to stop herself laughing, nodded.

* * *

'Hey!' Remus turned to see James and Sirius sitting beneath a young tree, smiling maliciously at him. 'Looking for your girlfriend?'

'Don't you mean the Snape boy's girlfriend?' responded Remus calmly to James, who considered him with a placid gaze.

'Fair point,' said Sirius reasonably.

'Maybe you should stay away from her. Not be a third wheel, yeah?' sniggered James.

'But if I stay here with you guys, then I'd just be interrupting your date,' said Remus, still calmly.

James opened his mouth to retort, but he was cut off by a squeal. The three boys looked a short distance around the side of the lake. The watery-eyed boy who had whimpered all through the previous nights was stumbling down the curve of the lake's shore; a group of the Slytherin first year boys stood at the top of the slope, smirking downwards, the two largest of the five with their wands withdrawn.

'Bloody Slytherins,' muttered James darkly.

Remus frowned and began to walk towards the fourth Gyrffindor and the Slytherins. James looked at Sirius, and Sirius shrugged; they jumped to their feet. 'Hey, Lupin, wait!' called Sirius, leveling with Remus in their stride towards the Slytherins.

'Alright, boys?' asked James conversationally with a swagger when they reached the boys. James nodded at the watery-eyed boy, who looked tremendously relieved to see Gryffindors. 'Enjoying your break, Peter? It's Peter, right?'

The plump boy nodded nervously, shivering at the water's edge.

'What's it to you, Potter?' asked a boy with a dull face a cruel sneer.

'Not sure we like that tone, Dolohov,' replied Sirius acidly.

'You stay out of this!' spat the larger one of the two with their wands withdrawn. He pointed his wand at Sirius; Remus, Sirius and James all whipped out their own wands. The boy looked unfazed, sneering at Sirius. 'My father told me to stick by you. So much for the famous Blacks. What did Mummy and Daddy say when you wrote home to them? And now you're hanging out with a blood traitor like _Potter_? My god, imagine a Blacks' reaction when they know you're with someone with a father like _his._'

'Better than to be inbred scum like you, Mulciber,' spat James. He took a step forward, but Remus stepped between them.

'We're just here for Peter,' said Remus calmly. 'I don't think we care what idiots like you think of us.' James tried to push past him, but Remus held out an arm. 'Come on, Peter,' Remus said kindly, smiling at the boy who was still cowering besides the lake. Peter scrambled to his feet and hurried to Remus' side.

'Enjoy your interbreeding,' called Sirius as the four of them turned, James still glaring over his shoulder at Mulciber. The Slytherins watched them leave, before the two with withdrawn wands turned sharply and the three others followed. 'You right, Pettigrew?' asked Sirius, as the four of them sat back under the tree where James and Sirius had been lazing.

The boy nodded. 'Thanks,' he mumbled nervously.

'Don't worry about it.'

'I swear,' muttered James, 'next time we see them- when no one's holding me back…'

'You should be glad someone was,' said Sirius. 'You idiot. Have you seen the arms of the big guy? We know their family. Bunch of lunatics. He'd tear your eyes out and make stew.' Remus sniggered. 'I'm not even kidding,' said Sirius, though he was laughing.

'Okay, yeah, thanks,' said James glumly, nodding at Remus.

'Hey, Sirius,' said Remus slowly. 'You know what he was saying, about your parents?'

'What about them?' said Sirius coldly.

'Well, what _did_ they say when you said you were friends with someone from the Potter family?'

'Oh,' said Sirius slowly. 'Well, I haven't actually written to them yet,' he said, smiling. 'Not much they can do, though. James has got me smitten, right, James?'

James however didn't seem to be listening. He was staring at Pettigrew, who was still shaking. 'Peter. Next time they come near you, just get us three, okay?'

Peter nodded gratefully.

* * *

'Dommy,' chirped James, dropping onto the courtyard bench besides his cousin. 'How are you? What are you reading?'

Dominique looked slowly away from her book, frowning at James. 'What is it, James?' She was inching away from him, evidently planning an escape. But at that moment Roxy then dropped on her other side, trapping her between each cousin.

'Hi, Dommy,' sang Roxy.

'You know how I hate being called that, Roxanne,' said Dominique coldly.

'Point taken,' replied Roxy, who had shuddered at the use of her full name. 'So how are you? How's Lysander?'

'Lorcan,' corrected Dominique. 'Lysander's his brother.'

'Oh… right. Well, are you enjoying your year so far? Have enough to keep you occupied?'

Dominique frowned. 'Yes.'

'Really? Fully stimulated? Perhaps there's a branch of your stimulation that Lorcan can't fill,' James sniggered.

Dominique glared at him. 'What do you want, James?'

'Well, see, Dominique,' said Roxy gently, 'we're a bit short of team members. You know, now Freddy and the others are gone. And we were just going to check that-'

'No,' snapped Dominique. 'I know what you're trying to do. I've got enough this year. I don't even like Quidditch-'

'You did two years ago,' said Roxy, smiling.

Dominique sent a vicious glare in Roxy's direction, but did not respond verbally. It was true. But she was different now; Roxy and James weren't being fair. She wasn't even close to either of them; she owed them nothing. Two years was a long time; she was younger then, she hated less people, her and Victoire were on better terms before her and Teddy were together.

'Come on, Dom, we really need this. Just come to try-outs. It doesn't have to be a big deal,' said Roxy gently.

'What doesn't?' They turned to see Molly and her group of Gryffindor fourth-year girls. Dominique bowed her head, allowing her flowing hair to fall in front of her scowling face.

James was staring behind Molly at a girl with thick, blonde hair. 'Hey, Zelda.'

'Hi, James,' said the girl disinterestedly.

'We're trying to make a Quidditch team, Molly,' said Roxy.

'Oh, Dommy, you should definitely try out,' said Molly. Parvati gave a derisive laugh.

'Yeah, well, seeing her up in the air might distract the opponents,' said Parvati. Molly gave a guilty smile, James snorted with laughter, Roxy rolled her eyes and Dominique looked vicious.

'I don't think anyone will be looking at me if you continue wearing skirts like that,' spat Dominique. She got to her feet, pushing past Parvati. '_Whore,_' she muttered. Parvati looked scandalised, James snorted with laughter once more, Roxy made a sound of discomfort with her lips and Molly stared after Dominique, looking torn between her provoked cousin and her victimized best friend.

* * *

Remus ran his finger along a line of the book he and Lily were craned over. 'Should we mention that in the report?' he inquired.

'I'm not sure, that one doesn't sound like a counter-jinx, just like another jinx,' she said. 'He wanted listed counter-jinxes specifically.'

'It could be counted as a counter-jinx if we twist the words a little, otherwise we're not going to be able to find enough to tell him about.'

'Oh, no, don't worry about that, Sev says I can look at his if I don't find enough to list,' said Lily fondly. 'He's already finished.'

Remus frowned as Lily continued reading. 'Isn't that copying someone else's work?' he said, forcing a concerned voice. He didn't like the fact that Severus positioned himself as Lily's safety net; to Remus, it seemed like Severus' spoiling of her allowed him to shield his real self from Lily; the self that sat back while boys like Peter were bullied by his friends.

'Well, we'd be using our own words; we'd just be getting the names of the hexes, which is what we're doing now, anyway.'

'I think we should just do it in pairs, like we were told,' said Remus hurriedly, purposefully flicking the page of their book.

Lily looked uneasy. 'Why don't you want Sev's help?'

'I don't know, I mean, it's not fair on him…'

'But he wants me to look at his work.' Lily looked genuinely upset now. 'So why not?'

'Yeah, but that's just for you, not me,' said Remus distractedly.

'He knows we're working together,' said Lily.

'Yes, but he wants you to be him working with you.' Remus regretted this instantly. Lily looked confused, and he new questions were coming.

'What do you mean? He's my friend, of course he wants to work with me.'

'Look, Lily,' said Remus slowly, 'I just think he sucks up to you're a little bit. I know it's just because you guys are so close, but I don't think he likes you being around other people, and it's not fair because he doesn't seem to have a problem hanging round with the idiots in his House.'

'He probably just wants someone to talk to in his own dormitory,' mumbled Lily.

'Well, that's fine, but he still gets annoyed when I spend too much time with you, like I'm bad for you. But he doesn't show any regret when he's sitting back and letting Peter get attacked.'

'He doesn't do that,' said Lily hurriedly. 'And maybe he's just trying to stop me having to hang around with people like Potter and Black. You say he hangs around with idiots, you don't seem to have a problem when James Potter picks fights with Severus' friends. You just sit and laugh. I've seen you smirking as the stuff he says to them in class, thinking he's smarter than all of them.'

'He was picking a fight with Mulciber because he was jinxing Peter,' said Remus. 'They're not bad people, Lily, Severus is just jealous of them and he's let you turn against them too. Where was he to stop his friends going after little guys like Peter?'

'What do you care?' Lily was not sounding hostile, just hurt. 'It's not like you're friends with Peter, Remus.'

'Strange that I was still there to get Severus' friends off him.'

Lily didn't know what to say, but she soon lost her bewildered poise and looked angry. 'Oh great,' she muttered, bowing her head, and Remus looked over to see James and Sirius approaching. 'What do they want?' she whispered.

'Hey, Lupin,' said James when he drew nearer, 'Evans,' he nodded in greeting with mocking politeness, and she scowled.

'Not that this doesn't look amazingly fun, you two, but we thought you might want to know, Remus, that the Slytherin idiots were throwing rocks into the forest and now these Bowtruckles are trying to gouge out Mulciber and Avery's eyes.'

'We have to finish this, right, Remus?' Lily said, motioning their half-finished report on counter-jinxes. 'Remus is busy. And I know you two haven't even started it, and Remus isn't like you two.'

'Been checking up on us, Evans?' said James with a smirk. 'Got a crush? I know I'm hard to resist.'

Lily looked as if she had been slapped. 'As if I would ever, ever, ever like someone like you!'

'Oh, shut up and calm down, Evans, as I'd want you to like me,' said James with a smirk. 'You coming, Remus?'

Remus looked from James to Lily, shrugged, got to his feet and followed James and Sirius out of the portrait-hole.

* * *

**Is everyone enjoying it? Ehh, I'm not sure I'm doing is justice. Please reassure me with reviews. x**

**I'll probably have to split this into two parts because it's quite long... ehh. I'm just trying to move first-year along.**


	6. Ordeal

**It's a long one. Does it make up for the atrocious wait?**

**It's not my fault my computer fucked up, I swearz!**

**Ily.**

* * *

Where Dwell the Brave of Heart

**Part One – First Year**

_Ordeal_

* * *

_Ordeal_

_1._ Any extremely severe or trying test, experience, or trial.

* * *

His head was too heavy to move, the room spinning around him. Every muscle and bone in his body ached. He had had a sense of sick forcing its way up his throat since he woke that morning. He shivered violently, pooling the blankets around himself, but he perspired dreadfully, sweat sticking his fringe flat to his forehead. It was like this every month.

The first day of transformation he would go about his day feeling queasy, fatigued and dazed and by the night he would be exhausted and would sleep the instant his head hit the pillow; if the transformation was bad that month the fatigued feeling could set in days earlier. On the second day he would wake too sick to move, the sickness setting in; aching bones, headaches, and he would rush to the bathroom to prepare to be sick, but there was never such relief and instead the nauseous feeling would stay with him all day. The second day he would remain in bed, unable to move due to pain and exhaustion, but sleep would never come. That night when the moon rose it would begin; he knew that he would be moved to the location Dumbledore had discussed with him long before it began tonight.

The day after that he would wake to find himself shivering, naked and covered in blood and wounds. He would spend the rest of the day sleeping, but the recovery period could have him experiencing such exhaustion that he had once been in bed for three days after the full moon. And that wasn't considering the damage he did to himself in his wolf form.

It was Thursday now; he was sure he would be too ill to attend this Saturday's flying lessons the boys in his year had been so anticipating. He began to realize that coming to this school, knowing these people, would add to the already lengthy list of things that his condition inhibited him from.

* * *

James and Zelda broke apart, and, thinking carefully, his fingers played with a loose thread of her skirt. 'So,' he began casually, Quidditch try-outs this tomorrow.' Zelda nodded disinterestedly, inspecting her long unblemished legs as she stretched them out on the grassy shore of the Black Lake. 'Think you'll turn up?' he asked gently.

She looked up at him, frowning, as if a teacher examining a below average student. 'I don't know. I'll think about it.'

'You said that yesterday,' he said, forcing a smile.

'Well,' she teased, 'maybe I just need more persuading.

Grinning, he leant in towards her again, feeling her fingers lace together at the back of his neck.

'Um, James?'

James cringed away from Zelda, letting out an annoyed growl at the interruption. James looked over his shoulder slowly, already knowing who it was, and preparing a vicious reprimand. '_What?'_ he snapped at Albus.

'I… I just wanted to write home,' said Albus uneasily, avoiding his brother's reproachful eyes. 'I wanted to write to Lily. I mean, I've been sending back letters when I get them in the morning, but I haven't been up to owlery yet and I'm not sure where to go and Victoire was with all these older girls so I couldn't ask her and Roxy was with her boyfriend and Rosie's still in your Common-room…'

James wasn't listening. He was watching Zelda get to her feet in a huff, her cheeks reddening and a scowl on her face. 'I'll see you, James,' she said coldly, cutting over Albus' ramble, 'good luck finding that Chaser you needed.' She turned and began striding away around the lake, back towards the castle.

James watched her go, struggling to think of something charming to say to call her back. She was like a snitch; he had had his arm outstretched, his fingertips gracing the golden ball, but then an opposing team mate had dashed forward, sending him off coarse and the snitch out of his reach. That type of thing was the reason he hated Seeking.

He rounded on his brother, jumping to his feet to look menacingly down at Albus, who shuddered under his brother's glare. 'See what you did?' he demanded.

'Huh?' asked Albus nervously.

'She was going to be our Chaser! There's no one else, you idiot! You went and freaked her out!'

'I'm sorry, but…' mumbled Albus.

'We're going to lose the cup – again! This is Emory's last year, he wants to win!' snapped James. '_What_ are you laughing at?'

'I'm not laughing!' said Albus quickly, his twitching lips suddenly flat.

James grabbed his brother by the front of his shirt, yanking the smaller Potter up to his face. '_Spit it out, Albus.'_

'Is she your _girlfriend?_' asked Albus, spluttering out the words. James glared down at his brother, who looked giddy with excitement; James was never going to hear the end of this.

'No!' he snapped hurriedly. 'Now go away.'

'Fine,' said Albus, smiling smugly, 'I'll let you go after your girlfriend. I'll find the owlery by myself, and don't worry; I'll tell mum and dad all about Jamie's special girly.'

'Don't you dare,' warned James acidly. 'I swear to god, Albus, I will cut you.'

'Why?' mocked Albus. 'Scared mummy and daddy won't like your new girlfriend?'

'I'm not scared of anything,' retorted James bitterly.

At that moment, there came something of a squeak from behind a nearby, thick-trunked tree. Scowling, James marched to the tree, peering behind it and looking down at someone Albus couldn't see from behind the trunk of the tree. 'Listening in on us, huh?' demanded James.

Albus walked tentatively towards James and peeked behind the tree. A slim young girl sat against the tree-trunk, her arms crossed and her legs tucked up against her body. She had dark eyes, faint freckles across her cheeks and small lips that were pulled into a grin. Her long, straight dark hair hung down from her head, falling just past her elbows.

'Why would I want to listen to you squabble?' she asked, grinning up at James fearlessly, despite the fact that she was quite obviously a first-year.

'Who are you, then?' snapped James.

'Who are _you?_' she asked simply.

'I asked first!'

The girl paused, scrutinizing James for a moment before shrugging. 'Oh well,' she said, getting to her feet, 'it doesn't matter, I know who you are.'

'How?' spat James immediately. Albus was watching the confrontation nervously, his eyes flicking between his brother and between the girl, who was several inches shorter than James, but looked at him confidently, as if examining an interesting book.

'You're Harry Potter's son,' she said softly.

'Says who?' snapped James. 'You don't know that. Nobody knows that.'

'Well, he is,' she said, jerking her head towards Albus. 'Everyone knows _he's _Harry Potter's son. And he's your brother.'

'Says who?' asked James again.

'I do.'

'Well, you're wrong,' said James, evidently eager to disprove the girl.

'I'm not,' she said, smiling. 'You argue like siblings.'

James glared at her.

'And your hostile glare has just confirmed that,' she said. Smiling at both of them, she strode away, back towards the castle, following in Zelda's footsteps. She left Albus staring after her, and left James seething.

* * *

'Watch it, Alice!' snapped Ted, pressing his Quidditch-worn hand to the spot on his head where the textbook had made impact.

'Oh, Teddy, I'm so sorry,' squeaked Alice, though she did not look around and continued throwing her numerous textbooks from her school bag and scattering them over their space in the courtyard.

Ted and Frank watched from the bench as Alice knelt on the pavement over her bag, and Frank scooped up a few books, stacking them in his arms. 'Alice, it's okay, it's just a book,' he said soothingly, extending an arm and placing it on her shoulder.

'No, no, no, Frank,' she cried, 'it's not just a book! It's a limited edition Potions encyclopedia that mum ordered especially for me! It was a fortune! And now I've lost it!'

'You don't even take Potions,' grumbled Ted. 'If you did you'd fail your NEWT's for sure.'

'But mum got it for me especially to help me with potions, because heaps of Herbologists would refuse to let me study under them if I couldn't brew at least some basic Potions!' she whimpered.

'Alice,' said Frank gently, 'do you mean the one with the green-leather cover?'

'Mhm,' murmured Alice, peering deep into her bag.

'That Slytherin first-year's got,' said Frank, staring across the courtyard where some Slytherin first-years boys were lounging.

'Fucking Slytherins,' snapped Ted, jumping to his feet.

Alice glanced over her shoulder. 'Oh no, it must be his own copy. He's just a first year, he wouldn't have taken it.'

'Alice, he's a Slytherin,' snapped Ted, starting towards the first-years. Frank got to his feet and began to walk with him.

'What?' gasped Alice, scooping up her scattered books and dashing after the boys. 'What? No, Frank, don't! just leave them.'

'We're just going to talk to them, Alice,' said Frank calmly. As they approached the Slytherins, the boys looked up, glaring viciously. Hi,' said Frank cheerily, 'would you mind if we looked at your book?' he asked, looking down at a hook-nosed boy whose face was hidden by a curtain of dark, greasy hair.

'What do you want with his book?' demanded the largest of the Slytherins, standing from the bench and glaring up at Frank.

'Look, wanker, we know you took her book, so just hand it over, okay?' spat Ted, extending his hand to the greasy-haired boy.

'What's going on here?'

Ted, Alice and Frank turned to see Lucius Malfoy leering at them, his arms crossed. He had crossed over from the huddled group of sixth and seventh year Slytherins from the other end of the courtyard. The Slytherins remaining across the courtyard were glaring at the Gryffindors, waiting for Lucius' next move.

'They're trying to take Severus' book!' spat a weedy-looking first-year.

Lucius raised his eyebrows accusingly at the Gryffindors, smirking. 'Is that right, Allen? Well, well, I wonder what Dumbledore would say if he heard that the Head Girl was bullying first-years. And you, Longbottom, the Gryffindor Quidditch captain; I'm sure McGongall will be very surprised.'

'Shove off, Malfoy, this has nothing to do with you,' snapped Ted, stepping forward.

'Careful, Ted,' said Frank, placing a hand on Ted's shoulder. The group of senior Slytherins crossed the courtyard and stood beside Malfoy to glare at the Gryffindors. Ted caught eyes with the curvy girl with the long, dark curls he had spoken to in the library. She batted her lashes at him lazily, looking thoroughly bored.

'Come on, you guys, let's go,' said Alice, clinging to both the boys' arms. Ted let out a growl before pushing past Malfoy, careful to jab his shoulder sharply into the blonde's side. Alice and Frank hurried after him.

'Lucius, you'll have to burn your clothes now,' drawled Bellatrix disinterestedly from Lucius' side. 'You've got Mudblood on them.'

Ted spun around, his wand withdrawn. Alice stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear, 'Come on, Ted, you're better than them.' Finally Ted spun back around and marched away. Alice and Frank followed him inside and down a corridor, until Ted finally fell against a wall, shaking with fury.

'It's okay, Ted,' said Alice softly.

'Yeah, Ted, don't worry about them,' said Frank with a smile. 'It's just Malfoy and Lestrange.'

'I hate them,' growled Ted.

'I know,' said Alice. She sighed. 'Gosh, did you see the way Lestrange looks at us? Her sister does it now too, she's going to be worse than Bellatrix.'

'She has a sister?' asked Ted.

'Yes, Teddy, I thought you knew,' said Alice, giving him a motherly smile. 'She's been going here for six years.'

Ted, for once it seemed, was not antagonized my Alice's scrutinizing. 'Which one is she?' he asked, his voice hollow.

'Oh, you know,' sighed Alice. 'She wears the expensive dresses. With the dark, curly hair. Oh, come on, Teddy, you must know who I mean. She looks like Bellatrix.'

Ted frowned at her. From behind her, Frank cupped his hands at his chest, mouthing, _'good tits_' to Ted. An expression of understanding dawned on Ted's face; he paled slightly. 'You mean with the tight skirts? The long legs?' Alice rolled her eyes, but Frank nodded. '_That's_ Bellatrix's sister?'

'Honestly, Teddy, it's like you live in your own little world,' laughed Alice. 'I can't believe you don't know her.'

But Ted was ignoring her. He was slumped against the wall, his eyes wide and thoughts colliding in his head. 'I'm dead,' he breathed.

Following Frank and Alice's professional advice, he spent the rest of the day attempting to locate the younger Black. He had almost given up, when he noticed the door of an empty classroom had been left ajar and was emitting a putrid smell of nail-polish.

'Hi.'

Andromeda jumped and looked over her shoulder. How could anyone have found her? She was tucked away in an empty room in the castle, squashed into an armchair that faced the window as she painted her long nails, overlooking the lake. Behind her armchair stood a fair-haired Gryffindor seventh-year, who was grinning at her. After a moment she recognised him as the boy who had spoken to her in the library. She looked him up and down, careful to let her distaste show on her face; his rugged Jeans, his scuffed Muggle shoes, his raised eyebrows beneath his blonde hair.

'I'm Ted,' announced the boy, offering his hand to her. 'What's your name?'

She stared at him for a second longer before turning away and going back to her nails. Ted walked around to stand in front of her, blocking her view out the window. 'Do you mind?' she snapped.

'Oh, sorry,' gasped Ted immediately. 'Am I blocking your view?'

'Yes,' she spat. Ted shifted slightly, smiling broadly at her. 'You're still doing it,' she growled. 'What do you want, anyway? What's your name?'

'Ted, I told you,' he said cheerfully. 'It's Andromeda, right?'

'Your _last _name?'

'Tonks.'

Andromeda raised her eyebrows. 'You're that Mudblood my sister was talking about,' she said; she used the term in a way not meant to cut or provoke, but merely as fact, as if it was a valid attribute of his being. 'Why are you trying to talk to me?'

Ted ground his teeth. He was not one to read tones, moods, or expressions, and so immediately took the mention of _Mudblood_ as an insult. He longed to snap at her, but fought to restrain himself. Forcing his smile to remain full, he took a step nearer to her. 'I just wanted to chat,' he said. 'Oh, and, sorry about the other day,' he said, hoping that his tone would make her believe that this had only just popped into his head and it wasn't, in fact, the only reason he had approached her. 'I was just kidding around, you know? I didn't mean to like, offend you or anything. I'm not usually like that.'

She looked at him disdainfully, fluttering her long lashes in boredom. 'Okay,' she said simply. 'You can go now.'

Ted looked stunned. 'Uh… right, sure.' He stumbled past the chair, and at the door to the room, he looked back at her. 'So, uh, you didn't tell your sister about my little… slip of the tongue, right?'

'It's not nearly interesting enough to think to tell her about,' she drawled.

'But, you won't, right? Because I kind of enjoy living.'

Andromeda looked over her shoulder and got on to her knees, turning around hugging the back of the armchair, watching Ted closely. 'I don't know, really. It's not like I'd bother to remember not to, but it's not like I'd just run and tell her either.'

Ted left the doorway and approached her. 'I'm not a bad guy, seriously. You don't need to tell her. Ask my friends. Just… just remember that.'

'I don't care if you're a nice guy or not. But personally, you do seem like a bit of a cock-head. And the line you used on me was tactless, regardless,' she sighed disinterestedly. 'I wouldn't want to talk to _your_ friends, anyway.'

Ted seemed not to be following the conversation, but was looking at Andromeda with wide, terrified eyes. 'What if I make it up to you?' he asked desperately. 'I could buy you dinner. We could go into Hogsmeade, it would be nice.'

She laughed coldly. 'I am _not_ going to date you.'

'No, no, no, no! I mean… I mean I'd buy you a fancy meal… or jewelry, yeah?'

Andromeda's eyes flashed greedily. 'Really?'

'I – uh – I suppose. If it's not too expensive-'

'Yes,' said Andromeda immediately, 'or I'll tell Bellatrix. And Lucius. And anyone else who hates Mudbloods.'

Ted stared at her, dreading the prospect of a day with her more with every second he spent watching her bat her eyelids.

* * *

'Jesus,' sighed James, watching a bunch of third-years hover over the Quidditch pitch in erratic patterns. 'We have no hope in hell of making the cup this year.'

'Don't say that, James,' reprimanded Emory; however, the captain's eyes were trained sharply on the group of third-years, his expression growing increasingly more morose.

'You guys don't get it,' sighed Roxy, smiling around at the team. 'We already _know_ who we're getting. Try-outs is just a technicality to keep McGonagall happy.'

'_You_ already know who we're getting, none of us have agreed with it,' snapped Sandra Bell. 'Emory, how do you feel about Victoire's sister, and that Spinnett girl?'

'We'll just have to see,' said Emory.

'You mean you haven't seen them fly before?' demanded Sandra.

'You're right, James,' said Paul Coote dully, 'no hope in hell.'

Emory ignored them and walked across the pitch to where the third-years had landed, finishing their flight. After a moment the first-years traipsed off the pitch, dragging their brooms behind them, looking defeated; it was evident that Emory had admitted that they were not ready for the team.

'Okay, any fourth years?' Emory called to the line of hopefuls. Six students stepped forward; Dominique was amongst them, looking stubbornly unhappy, and when Zelda stepped forward James grinned at her. The group kicked off; the four boys started reasonably, but none of them could keep to a straight path. Dominique bent low to her boom, flying quickly and evenly; Zelda swerved swiftly past each boy, quickly overtaking the four of them. When the six fourth-years landed, Emory approached. 'Okay, thanks. You can go; except for you two, I'll get to you when we've gone through the other year levels,' he said, pointing at Dominique and Zelda.

Roxy motioned to the fourth-year girls to approach, smiling and waving, and Dominique and Zelda crossed the pitch to the sidelines from where the rest of the team was watching the try-outs. Roxy smiled broadly at Zelda. 'Hi, I'm Roxy. You fly well. Any good at Beating?'

Zelda shook her head. 'Hopeless except for Chasing.'

'Zelda!' squealed Molly, leaning over the fence that surrounded the pitch to pull Zelda into a hug. 'You're so, so, so good!' Dominique rolled her eyes as Parvati and Molly threw their arms around Zelda, before she realized Victoire was also leaning over the fence.

'Why do you copy the way Teddy arcs his back when he flies?' asked Victoire immediately, smiling mockingly at her sister. 'Louis does it too. You guys are so desperate for his acceptance.'

'It's just because you have such an immaculate taste in men, Vic,' James told her.

'God, you're a wanker, Potter,' said Roxy.

'Don't call me that. I'm a Weasley at heart,' said James.

Emory joined the group, grinning round at them before turning to face Victoire, Molly and Parvati. 'Okay, you four, clear off. We need to talk to our new Chaser and our Beater.'

'So we got it?' asked Zelda excitedly.

'Problem,' said Roxy. 'Neither or them can Beat.'

'Well, what about that fifth-year? He was pretty good,' said Paul.

'Then who's Chaser?' interjected Dominique boldly. 'Me or her?'

'Okay, calm down,' said Emory hurriedly, sensing Dominique's sudden belligerence. 'Maybe we could work this out. Paul, you can beat can't you? Then both of you could be Chasers.'

'Why should I Chase with her?' snapped Dominique.

'Oh, Weasley, it's not like someone like you can afford to choose who they want to be around. Having people talk to you should be received very gratefully,' sneered Parvati from the sidelines, from where her and Molly were listening. Molly nudged her friend nervously, but Parvati ignored her. Dominique rounded on Parvati, her wand withdrawn.

Emory and Roxy stepped forward. 'Dominique, don't be an idiot,' sighed Roxy. 'I can dock points, you know.'

'Not to Gryffindor, you wouldn't,' said James immediately, but he was ignored.

'Oh, get over yourself, Dommy,' sighed Victoire, who was watching the scene disinterestedly. 'This isn't going to get you on the team.'

Dominique looked furiously from her sister to Parvati. With a snarl she stuffed her wand back into her muddy robes and stalked away through the gate that lead off the pitch and began towards the castle.

'Thanks, Victoire, we need her!' snapped James.

'James, honey, deep breaths,' laughed Victoire. 'She's just being dramatic; I'll go get her. It won't take long; I'm meeting people in Hogsmeade.' Victoire turned after her younger sister, her heels clicking after Dominique's stomping boots. 'Dommy,' Victoire cooed as she got closer. Dominique rounded on the older girl, glaring viciously. 'Come on,' said Victoire. 'Come sit.'Victoire sat herself neatly on a bench that was resting beside the path towards the castle. Grudgingly, Dominique dropped down beside her.

'I hate them,' spat Dominique. 'Stuck up little sluts.'

Victoire laughed. 'Dommy, why do you try so hard to hate people?'

Dominique looked scandalized. 'I don't need to try! They think they're better than everyone! They think anyone who doesn't talk like them and read the same books as them and share their opinions is mentally impaired. They think they're so special and unique and they're not.'

Victoire smirked at her sister. 'How self-absorbed are you, Dom? That's exactly what you do in case you don't notice.'

Dominique looked as if she could have slapped her sister. '_What?_'

'You try so desperately hard to give the world an image of you that is hostile and skeptical of the world, because you don't know how to fit in so you try to make people think you don't care. Well, Dom, maybe if you didn't try so hard to be different people wouldn't be bitches to you. You're jealous of the fact that they're happy, and that they fit in, so you make yourself an outsider so then it's not them expelling you, it's yourself.'

Dominique's face had gone red with ager, but Victoire's was perfectly placid. They stared directly at each other, china-blue eyes struggling against each other. They had the same inviting lips, straight nose and high cheek-bones; but Dominique's features were less pronounced, her curves less defined.

Dominique jumped to her feet in a fit of rage. 'Just because you're so desperate for people to like you doesn't mean I am!'

'I'm not desperate,' said Victoire. 'People already like me; they love me. And I'll tell you, it's not because I wore men's shoes or because I went around looking down my nose at the world like you do.'

'You love yourself,' spat Dominique. 'Leave me alone.' And she turned away from her sister, marching towards the castle once more.

'You wish you could love yourself, Dommy,' called Victoire cheerfully, 'but it's hard to love yourself when the rest of the world hates you!"

* * *

'I can't believe you missed flying lessons. Honestly, Remus, what is wrong with you?'

'I was sick,' said Remus with a shrug, not looking up at James as he cut up his beans.

'Yes, but, flying lessons! It's great! Madam Hooch said I was a natural,' said James, beaming to himself as he tilted back in his chair, his hands behind his head.

'Yes, but your dad's been coaching you since you were six,' said Sirius lazily, spinning his chopping knife around in his hands.

'He doesn't coach me. We go flying together. So piss off,' snapped James, throwing his book across the table at Sirius. Sirius sniggered and caught it.

'I've never flown before,' said Peter miserably. 'My dad's a Muggle.'

James stared at him, utterly bewildered. '_Never?_ That's atrocious. Can't your mum teach you?'

Peter looked nervous and went back to cutting his beans; unlike Remus, who had cut his in neat, even slices, Peter had cut in wild motions, the beans all in different sizes in shapes. 'Mum doesn't live with us,' said Peter glumly.

'Why not?' asked James. Remus looked ready to slap him, shaking his head to himself. Sirius was giving James beseeching looks, but seemed to want to hear Peter's response just as much as James himself.

'She left when I was a baby. We… we haven't seem her since then…' mumbled Peter.

'Oh,' said James. 'That sucks, mate.' Peter nodded.

'Are you two going to do any work at all?' asked Remus with a disappointed smirk, looking at James and Sirius, attempting to draw attention away from Peter. 'You haven't even added the herbs to your water yet.'

'I can't believe you've never sat with us in Potions before, Lupin,' said James, shaking his head and smiling. He motioned to himself and Sirius. '_This_ is our work. Living it up with our beautiful boys.'

'By beautiful boys, he obviously means me,' said Sirius.

'You're idiots,' sighed Remus.

'Who actually cares about Potions?' sighed James. 'Well, except those idiots,' he said, and pointed across the room to Lily and Severus. 'Look at that. Snape's book look's twenty years old. And it's not even the right one; it's sixth year of something. What an idiot.'

'I bet I can hit him with the beans, James,' said Sirius, scooping his uncut beans into his hands.

'First to ten,' announced James, scooping his own into his hands.

Remus shook his head before his eyes caught on to Lily. Snape was not, apparently, the only student working above their level. Lily's potion was finished; fine, blue steam was rising slowly from her cauldron and she was sitting back in her chair, her books and ingredients returned to her bag and her desk clean.

'How did she finish so quickly?' he said to himself. He looked back at his potion; he had progressed well, but he was very far from done, as were most of the students in the class.

'Who cares,' said James snidely, throwing a bean towards Snape. 'It's Evans. She's crazy.'

Remus shrugged, but try as he might, he could not tare his eyes away from Lily.

* * *

**This will take me years to finish. Ily. Review please.**


	7. Bias

**So I'm now officially a grown woman, a legal adult, who writes fanfiction. I have not updated this story in two years and I am currently in the midst of my final exams so I don't really know what made me want to update but I really did. I think it may be because of the new Pottermore material.**

**Seeming this story was published 3 years ago, I'm assuming I will have lost my old audience, but just in case I haven't, I've changed a few things since I last updated and edited some plot elements; Molly is now in the same year as Dominique, and Lucy is now in the same year as Lily. This is due to me finding it very difficult to follow the story of each character, so I'm postponing having Lucy at Hogwarts for a while until I can resolve some of the older students stories; eg, Ted, Andromeda, Roxanne, Victoire. Until then, we won't hear much about Louis, Hugo, Lucy or Lily unless it's the summer/Christmas holidays - soz.**

**Okay well my creative writing skills have probably deteriorated since I haven't done this in two years, and so I'm probably worse than I was at fifteen. Cool.**

**Please review, I'd really appreaciate it. x**

* * *

Where Dwell the Brave of Heart

**Part One - First Year**

_Bias_

* * *

_Bias_

_1. _Inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair.

* * *

Lily placed her copy of _The Daily Prophet _on the table and looked up at Remus, who was picking vaguely at his scrambled eggs. He glanced up at her, gave a small smile, and dropped her gaze.

'Where's Potter?'

'I don't know,' he told her, fighting back a laugh. 'Why? Trying to avoid him?'

Lily's cheeks flushed red and her hands scrunched at the folds of _The Prophet_. 'No.'

'He's really not that bad, Lily.'

Lily bit her lip. 'Yeah.'

Remus was grinning at her, and she felt her face becoming hot.

'So why do you want to know where he is?'

'I just wanted to ask you something… Don't worry, it's stupid.'

Remus' grin was widening. He leaned across the table to talk more privately; they had been raising their voices to be heard over the excited yells and conversation induced by the Quidditch match scheduled for the day. 'Is it about James?'

Lily's timidness flared into anger. 'No. Why on earth would it be about him?' she asked hotly.

Remus leant away, and returned to pushing his eggs from one side of the plate to the other. 'No reason, don't worry.'

'It's not about James,' she told him sternly.

He nodded, giving an exasperated smile. 'Fine, okay, I believe you. What's wrong then?'

She gave a small shrug, before pushing her copy of _The Prophet_ across the table towards him.

Frowning, Remus scanned the page Lily had it opened on.

_Former Minister of Magic Nobby Leach met with the Daily Prophet in the late hour of last night, one of his scarce appearances following his early leave of office in 1968. Mr. Leach was reluctant to give any information regarding his abrupt departure from politics, and refused to address questions regarding his activity over the last three years. Instead, Leach was eager to address the popularity surrounding the magical purity group, calling themselves "the Death Eaters"._

_'The fast-growing support for this movement is unnerving,' Leach told Prophet reporter. 'Speaking as a Muggle-born, I am appalled by the lack of Ministry concern with extremists like these. If they had their way, Muggles and Muggle-borns would be exterminated.'_

_Leach is not the first influential Wizard to express concern regarding the popularity of the Death Eaters and their acclaimed leader, referred to only as "Voldemort". The controversy surrounding the movement has only intensified following the unexplained deaths of three Muggles and the disappearances of over a dozen more in the greater London area. The deaths have attracted media attention in the Wizarding world due to the unusual and violent circumstances, which have left Muggle law-enforcement baffled._

He looked up at her, giving a sympathetic smile and a shrug. 'It's pretty sick, isn't it?'

'But I don't get it,' sighed Lily in frustration. 'Why is it about Muggles?'

'Don't worry about it, Lil,' said Remus gently, filling a glass of pumpkin juice and passing it to her. 'Some Witches and Wizards are just really full on about, you know, Blood-Purity and stuff. They want Magic kept to themselves, I guess. I mean, there are always going to be some like that. You've just got to ignore it, really.'

'But they're killing Muggles!' Lily exclaimed. 'My cousins live in London-'

'Remus!'

Lily was interrupted by James and Sirius dropping down on either side of Remus, the pair of them donned in vivid scarlet and gold beanies and scarfs. Peter slid in beside them, giving Lily a shy smile before helping himself to toast.

'We got you a scarf,' James proclaimed excitedly, draping the Lion-embroidered wool around Remus' neck.

'Suits you, mate,' said Sirius through a mouthful of bacon. 'Hi, Evans.'

'Evans, where's your Gryffindor spirit?' demanded James.

'Don't you like Quidditch?' asked Peter quietly.

'I don't know _what_ you two are on about,' Lily snapped at them, ignoring Peter and glaring at Sirius and James.

'_Quidditch_!' James bellowed. 'We're on about _Quidditch_! Where's your scarf?'

Lily felt herself begin to bristle with irritation. 'I don't know _what_ Quidditch is and if I did I'm sure it would be something _stupid_ if you two both love it so much.'

'You don't know what Quidditch is?' James barked at her, looking appalled. 'God, Evans, do you live under a rock?'

'She's Muggle-born, James,' Remus told him with a roll of his eyes.

'Oh, well, you'll have to clear off away from Sirius, Evans.' said James solemnly. 'His family hates Muggle-borns. Wants them all wiped out, don't you, mate?'

'Shove off, Potter,' Sirius snapped at him.

Lily felt her hand jump to the wand in her pocket. She had it clasped in her hand and was searching her mind for any memory of a harmful hex, before she became conscious of her movement. Horrified at herself, she stuffed her wand back into her pocket and jumped to her feet, snatching her copy of _The Prophet_ from Remus.

'I'm going to find Severus,' Lily hissed venomously, her breathing uneven. 'See you later, Remus.'

Ignoring James and Sirius laughter and cooing, she dashed away from the Gryffindor table and out of the Great Hall. She took a deep steadying breath, before beginning her trek to the library to rendezvous with Severus.

Her hands were shaking, and she clasped them together at her front, as if afraid to find them once more on her wand. Her anger had consumed her so suddenly that it had frightened her, and her instinct to use Magic as a weapon had frightened her even more. She shook her head, heaved a sigh, and assured herself that she was not a monster. Nobody could help but want to use violence when it came to James Potter.

* * *

'_And Weasley has the Quaffle – passes it to Spinnett – who passes it to Potter – who scores! That brings Gryffindor up to 150, with Slytherin way ahead at 300! Hopefully for Gryffindor Peakes has got his eye on the snitch!'_

A cheer erupted from the Gryffindor's side of the pitch, and Dominique watched as dozens of scarlet and gold banners waved in the arms of students, and flares of celebration shot into the air. James did a quick loop of the pitch, flying with the direction of his only his legs as he pumped his fists into the air with pride.

'He's is so full of himself,' laughed Roxy, hovering beside Dominique as they waited for Madam Robins to relaunch the Qauffle. 'How are you handling your first game?'

'Well I haven't dropped the Quaffle, have I?' Dominique told her hotly.

'I know - hold on.'

And Roxy zoomed off to the other side of the pitch to shield Emory from a rogue bludger, and Dominique made a quick dive to intercept a pass between two Slytherin Chasers. The Quaffle hooked under her arm, she turned sharply and sped towards their goals; she could hear the whiz of the Slytherin's brooms right behind her.

She was nearing the goals – fifty feet, twenty feet, ten feet – when she felt a tug at her robes and heard the grunt of a Slytherin Chaser. The boy gave her robes and sharp pull and as she felt herself begin to topple, she made a lunge towards the goals, her legs clamped tightly around her broom, and tossed the Quaffle forwards.

The Slytherin let go of her robes and she clung to her broom in a desperate attempt to keep herself steady. Hurriedly repositioning herself, she glanced back to see the Quaffle hurtle towards the goals, before Zelda intercepting. Zelda poised the Quaffle on the tips of her fingers; she faked right, before scoring in the left hoop.

'I had that goal!' Doninique gasped at her in fury, panting to regain her breath. 'You took my goal!'

Amidst the cheers from the Gryffindors, Zelda ignored her, and flew towards James to clasp his hand.

'That was _my_ goal!' Dominique bellowed. 'Didn't _anyone_ see that-'

But she was cut off when the Gryffindors erupted into cheers, louder than Dominique had ever heard. She whipped her head around to see Emory grinning broadly, his hand knotted into a sharp fist and holding something gleaming. The five other Gryffindors raced towards Emory, colliding in a joint hug in midair as they drifted towards the ground. Dominique landed heavily on the grass shortly away from her team, throwing her broomstick down into the muddy oval with frustration. Her flushed face and stamping feet were equal to those of the disgruntled Slytherins.

Dominique trudged towards the huddle of scarlet. James had hoisted himself onto Emory's back and was hugging him tightly, kissing his cheeks and professing his undying love. While Zelda looked bemused, Roxy, Sandra and Paul were grinning broadly at the two boys; this was apparently a routine of James' after every game won by the Gryffindors.

As Dominique neared them, Roxy pulled her under her arm, giving her a squeeze.

'I love you, Em! I love you, I love you!'

'I love you too, James,' said Emory tiredly, giving a vague attempt to push James off. 'Good game, everyone.'

The group of seven, their arms slung around each other and Dominique grudgingly sandwiched between Roxy and Sandra, began to trudge towards the edge of the pitch to meet the crowd of cheering Gryffindors. Friends of the team members began to break away from the group, jumping the fence onto the pitch and dashing towards the team. Parvati and Molly latched onto Zelda, hugging her from both sides and the third-year Gryffindor boys slammed into James, flattening him onto the ground in excitement

'Seriously,' continued Emory, over the squealing of the fourth-year girls, 'I didn't think we would have much of a chance this year with Fred gone but apparently I was wrong. Good save by the way, Zelda; I was hoping someone would score soon, I had been watching the Snitch for twenty minutes waiting for us to get to 160 so I could grab it.'

Parvati and Molly squealed louder at this information, tugging at Zelda's arms in excitement.

'She wouldn't have needed to score if she hadn't intercepted my ball,' Dominique snapped, and the Gryffindors all turned to face the blonde in shock.

'Well,' said Emory gently, 'I suppose it doesn't matter who did what! We won.'

'Well, if she's going to intercept every one of my goals for the rest of the year then I think it does matter,' Dominique snarled, her arms folded. 'I'm not going to keep playing if I'm just here to make up numbers.'

'Oh, Dommy, don't be ridiculous,' sighed Roxy.

'Don't call me that.'

At that moment, two thin, wide-eyed boys appeared at the edge of the group.

'Dominique,' began Lysander gently, 'um – are you okay?'

'Wonderul game, Dom,' said Lorcan brightly, taking Dominique's hand and giving it a kiss, apparently oblivious to the tension between the team.

'Get off, Lorcan,' Dominique snapped, shaking his hand away.

'Okay.'

'Don't be like that, Dom,' James told her, scrambling to his feet.

'Weasley, stop being such a sook,' Parvati told her airily. 'Just be happy you won something for once.'

A sharp crack rung around the oval, and Parvati let out a shriek as blood began to spout from her nose. Zelda and Molly let out horrified gasps, swooping on Parvati and muttering shrill words of concern.

'Dominique!' cried Roxy in horror, rounding on her younger cousin.

'I'm not touching my wand!' Dominique snarled.

'Damn, Dom,' sighed James in exasperation, joining the huddle around the whimpering Parvati to inspect her nose. 'You really are feisty, aren't you?'

'I didn't do anything!' she roared at them, as Madam Robins and Victoire dashed to the group.

'What's going on?' demanded Madam Robins shrilly.

'Weasley broke my nose!' shrieked Parvati.

Madam Robins gave a deep sigh. 'Which one?'

A round of fingers pointed at Dominique.

Another deep sigh, and Madam Robins instructed Zelda and Molly to escort Parvati to the hospital wing. 'So what happened?'

'Oh, I'm _sure_ she didn't mean to, Madam Robins,' cooed Victoire gently. She moved to stand beside her sister, and Madam Robins surveyed them; Victoire tall, thin and smiling and Dominique willowy, muddy and sulking. 'She just gets so angry, you know? She's worse than our little brother, honestly. All the plates in our house burst apart when she throws a tantrum. She really can't control it.'

'That's not true!' moaned Dominique. And in spite of herself she felt tears welling in her eyes.

'I really don't think she would need _detention_ or anything like that, do you, Madam Robins?' continued Victoire. She raised a slim hand and brushed Dominique's tangled hair out of her face affectionately. 'Good game, sweetie.'

Dominique fixed Victoire with the most furious of glares, but Victoire was too well accustomed; she merely smiled and rubbed a smudge of mud from Dominique's cheek.

'Well, if it really was an accident I wouldn't see why,' began Madam Robins slowly. 'It was an accident, was it, Weasley?' she asked sternly, turning towards Dominique.

Under the woman's watchful eye, Dominique felt herself snap, and she turned on her heel and fled.

'Dominique!' called Lorcan, as he and his brother rushed after her.


	8. Conciliatory

**So _Bias_ and _Conciliatory _ were supposed to one chapter but somehow they ended up super long, so here's two rather short chapters instead. I know I'm focusing more of Lily and and Dominique at the moment, but I just have quite a clear idea of what's happening with them so yes.**

**Please, please review. I'd really appreciate it.**

* * *

Where Dwell the Brave of Heart

**Part One - First Year**

_Conciliatory_

* * *

_Conciliatory_

1. Intended or likely to placate or pacify.

* * *

'You're not listening to me.'

'Yes, I am, I promise.'

'No, you're not,' mumbled Severus. 'You'd rather be watching Quidditch, wouldn't you?'

'No, Sev, honestly.'

'But that Lupin's watching the game, isn't he? You could have gone with him?'

'He's be sitting with _Potter_,' Lily told him derisively. '_No thank you_. Seriously, Sev, believe me. I'd rather be with you.'

Severus smiled and turned back to his potions books. He leant across the desk to show her the page. 'This stuff is so easy,' he sighed. 'Surely this isn't first-year stuff. I think I'll write to mum and ask if she can get me the second year's edition. Or third's, even.'

'I don't know, it all looks pretty hard to me,' sighed Lily. She glanced at Severus, inspecting his dark form hunched over his book. 'Have you heard from home since you got here?'

Severus didn't respond, and continued to scribble notes into his textbook.

'Sev?'

'No.'

'No, you haven't heard from them?'

'No. Have you heard from yours?'

Lily reddened slightly. 'Lots from Mum and Dad. They miss me heaps,' she told him. 'Nothing from Tuney.'

'Just forget about her, Lily,' Severus snapped. 'She has nothing to do with Hogwarts, you know. She's just a Muggle.'

'You always say that,' sighed Lily. She sunk back in her chair and gazed out the window. Heavy rain sloshed against the window, and in the distance she could see the coloured stands of the Quidditch pitch rise up from the school's grounds. 'Did you read the newspaper today?'

'_The Prophet?_'

'Yes, the news paper.'

'No, why?'

Lily nibbled her lip, mulling Remus' words over in her head; _You've just got to ignore it. _She doubted Severus would be much more help, but she didn't know who else to ask. 'It was talking about a man named Nobby Leach; he was the old Prime Minister-'

'_Minister for Magic.'_

'Yes, that's what I said. Anyway, it said he was Muggle-born, and it was this article on these people who didn't like Muggle-borns. Purebloods…' She glanced up at Severus for a reaction, but he continued to pore over his potions book, marking errors and adding suggestions in the margin.

'There are lots of Purebloods here,' said Severus disinterestedly.

'Yes but… but there were these people. Called the Death – the Death somethings…'

'The Death Eaters,' said Severus matter-of-factly.

Lily was taken aback; were these prejudices as usual to Witches and Wizards as owls were? Was she only appalled because she was an outsider looking in? She dismissed this thought and assured herself that no matter how usual it was, killing people could not just be forgotten.

'So you know about them?'

'Yes, everyone Does. I mean, they've only been around a few months really, though,' said Severus. 'Not like some other people Pureblood groups. Not like Grindelwald and Wizards like that. They're pretty popular though. Lord Voldemort's getting lots of attention.'

'And… and why don't people stop him?'

Severus looked up at her, frowning. 'Well, they can't?'

'But why not?' asked Lily incredulously. 'That article said that there have been Muggles deaths and the police don't know what to do.'

'Well, they wouldn't. They're Muggles.'

Lily felt herself becoming frustrated with Severus' disinterest. 'Well then why don't the Wizard police help?'

Severus rolled his eyes. 'There aren't any _Wizard police_, Lily. And the Aurors can't do anything because well – well a lot of people agree with it. There are a lot of Purebloods after all. Lots of people like it.'

'But why do they hate Muggles?'

Severus shrugged. 'I don't know, Lily. I mean what do you expect? People want Magic kept among Witches and Wizards. You'll just have to get used to it.'

* * *

'It's not _fair_,' wailed Dominique. 'Why does everyone _always_ blame me! I never do _anything! _And they always blame me! _Victoire_ _makes them_!_'_

'Please don't cry, Dominique,' said Lorcan softly, 'please.' He held her to his chest, running a gentle hand over her freckled cheek as Lysander watched them from across the empty classroom.

'I'm sure Victoire doesn't mean it,' Lysander mumbled.

'Oh, _yes_ she does!' snarled Dominique, throwing Lorcan off and beginning to pace. Lysander made a quick move to shield his nose, but disguised it by scratching his cheek to avoid intensifying Dominique's rage. 'She just _loves_ it when I'm in trouble!'

Lysander gave an apologetic shrug. 'But that's just what siblings do, I suppose.'

Dominique shook her head in frustration and began to pace between the desks of the classroom, wiping her face of tears.

'Oh yes,' said Lorcan, leaning against the chalkboard beside his brother and watching Dominique pace. 'Did I ever tell you about when Lysander hid a huge bunch of Mistletoe under my mattress? There were nargles in my room for weeks.'

'I don't _care_, Lorcan!' Dominique spat at him.

'Okay,' he said placidly, lapsing into silence.

'And _Parvati!_' raged Dominique. 'Stupid, stupid cow! Her and Zelda! I hear Parvati whisper about me at night, you know? When she thinks I'm sleeping. She puts on this _stupid_ voice and it sends Zelda into hysterics! And I hear Molly giggle too, you know? She'd never admit it though. She would never want the family to know she was being mean, of course. Her and Lucy never want to upset _daddy_. Of course, Percy's constantly upset because she's just so dim, you know? They're both so _dim. _I'm sure Percy's horrified by the pair of them; just like my mother. Perhaps Percy should marry my mother. I'm sure Dad would be a lot happier.'

The door cracked open, and a head of copper ringlets appeared, staring at them with glittering eyes.

'Hi, Dom,' squeaked Molly, stepping into the room and shutting the door. 'I thought I heard you! We were wondering where you had gotten to! Parvati's fine, by the way, so don't worry!'

Dominique had stopped in her tracks and was eyeing Molly with utmost dislike. Dominique's eyes travelled over Molly's vividly pink dress and carefully pinned curls, and her dim, beaming face.

Molly looked around the room, apparently unaware of Dominique's fury. 'Ooh, this is a funny room isn't it? I wonder what they teach in here.' She crossed to the black board, inspecting the Ancient runes inscribed in chalk and peering through the twins. 'Look at these funny letters. This teacher sure has bad hand-writing, don't they, Dommy?'

Lysander peered and Dominique. In their four years at school together they had never exchanged so much as a glance and he found himself asking, _Is she serious?_

Dominique turned sharply, and Lysander glanced away, avoiding her eyes. As if seeing the twins for the first time, she smiled broadly at them. 'Hello,' she chirped. 'I'm Molly. I'm Dommy's cousin. What are your names?'

'Um… I'm Lysander.'

'And I'm Lorcan,' said Lorcan with a broad smile, shaking hands with Molly.

Molly's grin widened and she rounded on Dominique, folding her arms with a knowing smile. 'So _this_ is Lorcan, Dommy?'

'You've heard about him?' asked Lysander incredulously.

'Oh yes, Auntie Fleur told us Dommy had a new boyfriend! This is so exciting I finally get to meet you! And your brother!'

'Well yes, it's very exciting,' agreed Lorcan. 'Dominique's told us so much about you.'

Molly looked thrilled, and she blushed beneath her makeup. 'Oooh, have you really, Dommy? That's so sweet?'

'Okay, stop it!' Dominique snapped at her.

Molly's smile disappeared in an instant. 'What's wrong, Dommy? Have I done something?'

'_You must be kidding!_' Dominique shrieked. 'Thanks to your friends I'm going to get kicked off the team, you know!'

Molly's smile reappeared, and she clapped her hands together. 'No! See that's what I came to say! Victoire spoke to Madam Robbins and you can keep playing and you won't even get detention or _anything!'_

'Oh, well, isn't Victoire just _perfect?'_ drawled Dominique. Her voice had become shrill, and Lorcan and Lydsander predicted another outburst.

'I'm really sorry, Dommy,' mumbled Molly. 'Parvati doesn't mean it, she just-'

'Oh, fuck off, Molly, don't act all sympathetic.'

Molly's face flushed scarlet, and Lysander suspected tears welling in her eyes as well. 'Dommy, please,' she mumbled, 'I tried to tell Parvati to be nice-'

'You're always _whispering about me!'_

'I'm not, Dom, I'm really not! I tell them to stop, please. Just ignore them. It's not anything to do with you,' said Molly, with an attempt at brightness, 'it's just that they don't like you. Don't be upset.'

Lysander and Lorcan exchanged glances.

'Dominique,' began Lorcan, 'I think what Molly means is that she's sorry her friends haven't been very nice.'

'Yeah, and Dominique's sorry she broke your friend's nose,' added Lysander.

Molly looked between the brothers and Dominique. With a prompting smile from Lorcan, Dominique gave a grumbled "that's okay".

'Oh, Dommy!' trilled Molly, throwing her arms around her in a choking hug. 'I'm so happy! I knew we could be friends!'

From over Molly's shoulder, Dominique glared venomously and Lorcan and Lysander.

* * *

The Gryffindors stood in a huddle, their arms over their heads shielding their eyes from the rain. Peering through the fog, they sent spiteful glares at the Ravenclaw's who had landed in a cheering huddle.

'Worst game ever,' sighed Fabian, throwing his beating club down into the puddle at his feet.

'You can say that again,' said Gideon.

'Worst game ever,' said Fabian, and the twins erupted into laughter.

Ted glared at both of them and kicked at the ground, tearing up the sodden grass in frustration. He withdraw his wand and sent blue sparks at the bedraggled lawn, singing the grass in short bursts of flame. 'Stupid… fucking….'

'Okay, come on,' said Frank bracingly, clapping Ted on the back and tugging his wand arm back by his side. 'Stop sulking, guys. It's the first game of the year, and we lost some good players last year. We all know what we're doing, we just need to get into the hang of things. Let's get out of this rain, anyway. We'll get cleaned up and Charity and Alice have drinks ready in the Common Room.'

There were mumbles of agreement among the seven, and a number of them clasped Frank's shoulder encouragingly and mumbled their thanks as they passed, trudging off the pitch to the change room.

'Alright, come on, Ted,' said Frank gently. 'Alice will kill us we don't hurry up. Cheer up, mate. She'll make a big fuss about it and everything; you know she babies us when we lose. I bet she will have gotten us some pumpkin pasties.'

'God damn Diggory,' Ted snarled. 'God damn, fucking, big-headed, show off…'

'He's pretty annoying, I'll give you that,' said Frank with a grin, leading Teddy towards the edge of the pitch.

'If Gideon had sent that fucking, god-damn bludger at him instead of Cresswell…'

'Yeah, well, what can you do, eh.'

'The snitch was right in front of me – _right in front of me_. I could feel it on my _fucking fingertips _and then Diggory came out of fucking _nowhere…'_

'I know, mate,' sighed Frank.

'But _Ravenclaw_, Frank,' insisted Ted, clenching his fists. '_Ravenclaw_. We thrashed them _every game_ last year.'

'Well, it's only the first game, Ted,' Frank assured him.

They fought through the pouring rain and the flocks of retreating students and reached the door of the change rooms, shaking the mud off their broomsticks.

'I swear, if I see Diggory's smug little grin once more time, I'll take that stupid little beard of his and– oh, hi.'

Andromeda peered at them from under the hood of her cloak, blinking at them slowly with her long, fluttering lashes. 'Hello,' she said curtly. 'Please don't let me interrupt, what would you do to that stupid little beard?'

Ted glared at her, and Frank fought back laughter. When Ted shot him a pointed glare, Frank composed himself.

'I'll meet you in the common room, mate,' said Frank hurriedly, before he dashed inside the change rooms.

'Good game,' said Andromeda.

Ted glared at her. 'Yeah, sure. Just come here to mock me?'

She frowned at him. 'No, I came to say good game.'

'Well you've said it, so you can go now,' he told her. 'Your makeup's running. Better get cleaned up to look good for your cousins.'

She hesitated, her brow knitted together. 'Does Quidditch always make you this grumpy or only when you lose?'

In that instant, Ted could have hexed her. 'I didn't lose!' he spat at her. 'Diggory knocked me out of the way; I pretty much _had _the snitch in my hand, but he knocked me and I almost fell! That shit should be fucking illegal! Madam Hooch should have picked up on it, for fuck's sake. And if Gideon had done what he's supposed to do and Beaten properly then Diggory wouldn't have been _anywhere _near that Snitch – _why are you laughing?_'

'You're a very funny angry person,' she laughed. 'You get all red and huffy – it's very sweet.'

'Oh, fuck off,' he snapped at her.

'_Excuse me?_' she asked, smiling and raising her eyebrows. 'I know how terrified you are of my sister. Perhaps you should watch what you say to me. Not that that's stopped you before.'

'I'm not _scared_ of some girl,' he growled. 'You're both just spoilt brats – that's why I don't like her, not because I'm _scared_. You can forget that jewellery or whatever it was you wanted from me. Nothing you sister could do to me would make me spend my money of you. Go ask your daddy for a few hundred Galleons.'

'Oh, tut tut,' she cooed. 'Don't say such stuff about the House of Black. You should always check to see who's in earshot before talking about Purebloods, you know.'

'Yeah, well, I'm sure you'd be worse off being seen with a Mudblood, wouldn't you?' he snapped. 'Look, I'm freezing my ass off and I don't want you crying to me about your feet being cold. So can you go to your common room or your "I hate Mudbloods" club meeting or whatever it is you do?'

Her bright eyes peered at him sharply he felt a gleam of pride; had he finally made her angry?'

'You know,' she said, her voice as even as ever, 'just because I'm a Pureblood doesn't make me hate Muggleborns. And I only came to talk to you to tell you that I don't _want_ you to take me on some some cheap date, okay? A day with you and I may end up worse than Bellatrix.'

Ted scoffed. 'It wasn't a _date_. As if I'd date you.'

'Oh yes, because you've got girls crawling all over you for a date,' she mocked.

'And where's your boyfriend then?'

She crossed her arms and pursed her lips. 'The choices are a little slim when half the men I meet are related to me.'

And in spite of himself he laughed, and she smiled, and their eyes met and they allowed a fragment of their hostility to ebb away. He let out sigh and ran a hand through is drenched hair. The crowd had depleted and they found themselves alone outside the change rooms. 'Look, I think I'm gonna shower in my dormitory,' he told her. 'All the showers will be taken in the change room anyway.'

'So is that your way of saying I'm allowed to walk with you back to the castle?'

'I suppose.' He rested his broom over his shoulder and trudged through his mud in his Quidditch boots. He turned to glance at her. To his surprise she allowed the hem of her long skirt to trail in the mud of the pathway, soaking the magenta silk, but she kept up with his pace easily.

'So has daddy got you betrothed to his brother yet?' he asked her.

'Not quite,' she sighed. 'Much worse actually.'

He frowned at her. 'Worse than your dad's brother? Please tell me that's a joke.'

'Well you tell me. What's worse; a blood relative of Lucius Malfoy?'

Ted stopped in his tracks and stared at her incredulously. '_No._ Oh god, no.'

She gave a small smile and nodded. 'Come on, hurry up. I'm sure your team's waiting for you.'

* * *

'Don't you guys want to be celebrating or something?'

'No, Al,' sighed Lavender, 'we want to hang out with you, okay? Your brother's up there and the seventh years gave him fire whiskey and he won't shut up.'

Albus looked aghast. '_Fire whiskey?_ James is – is drunk?'

'Well, he's definitely not all there,' Lavender told him.

'Rosie,' began Albus, 'Rosie, did you hear that?'

'Huh?'

'James is _drunk!_'

Rose frowned at him. 'Yes, I know. Don't worry, Al. He only had a few sips of it, it's just really strong.'

'But he only just turned fourteen!'

'At Christmas dad let me have a glass of mead,' said Lavender. 'Relax.'

'Yes but – but that's _Christmas_.'

'She's living life on the edge, Al,' mocked Rose. 'Don't tell anyone, you'll get her expelled.'

Albus bit his lip. 'Do you think I should right to Mum and Dad?'

Rose frowned at him incredulously. 'Why?'

'Because he's drunk!'

'Would you keep your voice down?' Rose snapped at him, looking around the library for any teachers. 'You really will get him expelled if the teachers find out.'

Rose turned back to her Charms report and Lavender began to braid her hair absent-mindedly. Albus folded his arms and slumped back in his chair.

'Is Albus sulking, Lavender?' asked Rose, not looking up from her paper.

'Yes, Rosie, as usual.'

'Al, stop it,' Rose warned. 'You're making me anxious – ouch!'

Lavender had flung out her hand and gripped Rose's bony arm, clinging tightly in excitement and staring at the Library's entrance. 'There he is!' squealed Lavender.

Rose and Albus turned to follow Lavender's line of sight. Scorpius Malfoy stood in the Library's archway, his books hoisted under his arm, glancing around for any familiar Gryffindors he could sit with. Concluding they were all upstairs at the party he had just escaped, he began to stride through the library, searching for a spare table.

'Ooh, should we ask him to sit with us?' asked Lavender.

'No,' Albus grumbled.

Rose snorted with laughter. 'Why, because my dad said we couldn't?'

'No, it's just – Rose, don't!'

'Scorpius!' Rose hissed at him, and he turned sharply. His pointed face was pressed into a frown and his silvery eyes inspected them, before he gave a small smile.

'He's coming over, he's coming over!' Lavender squealed excitedly.

'_Nooo_,' moaned Albus. 'Rose, this is going to be awkward.'

'You sound just like my Dad,' sighed Rose.

Scorpius reached their table and stood above them. 'Hey,' he said to Rose. 'Hi, Lavender.'

'Hi,' squeaked Lavender. There was a moments eye contact between the two, before Lavender snatched up one of Rose's books and disappeared behind it.

'Did you need anything?' Scorpius asked.

'We thought you might want to sit with us,' said Rose.

'Oh…' Scorpius hesitated, glancing at Rose and Lavender before his eyes turned to Albus, who was staring stubbornly into his lap. Rose had the impression that Scorpius had received the same warning as she had from his own father.

'I think I might just go back to the common room,' he told them. 'Cute ribbons,' he told Lavender, smirking at her; she blushed a dark red. 'Bye.'

He turned on his heel and marched away, and Albus rounded on Rose.

'That was painful,' he shot at her.

'So are you,' she said, grinning.


End file.
